To Become a God
by SilentPleasantries
Summary: After the fall of Midgar and the remnants, Rufus Shinra has seemingly changed his ways for the better. The people of the planet have begun to trust in him again, everyone except Cloud Strife. Contains yaoi.
1. Chapter 1:Insanity

**Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII or any of it's characters. This was purely written for fun and I make no money from this.**

**Warnings: RATED MA for Violence, insanity, M/M relations , M/F (I don't write het though, maybe if requested), abuse, language**

**Info to know: Regardless of the first chap, I will use other characters a great deal. Mainly Cloud, Tseng, Vincent, Reeve, the Turks and Avalanche. Others will make an appearance, but I don't wanna spoil. Chapters will get longer and will vary in length from chap to chap.**

**Okay, onto the fic!

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**To Become a God**

"Tseng."

"Yes?"

The long dark haired Turk looked questionably at his young leader. Rufus Shinra, the president of the fallen Shin-Ra Power Electric company held the Turk's eyes momentarily, though he did not speak. Tseng wanted to look away from his boss' captivating stare as ocean blue depths enveloped him.

"Make me a god." the blond said in a sharp, but authoritative voice.

The twenty- seven year old Turk who had faithfully served the Shin-Ra Company for the past eleven years cocked his head to the side in utter confusion at his twenty-two year old boss. Never in all his years of service had he completely failed to understand a command his superior had given him. For a second, he had thought he heard him wrong, but the odds of that quickly diminished. Such an order that ridiculous and extreme only needed to be said once.

Tseng searched his leader's face intensely, but could find no hint of jest in his expression. The President had been dead serious. His fierce blue eyes never faltered and lips twitched slightly at Tseng's silence. The Turk who had been siting in the chair across from Rufus' desk frowned. They had been going over the President's planned spending projects when the blond had suddenly given Tseng the illogical order. It came from out of nowhere and with such ardor Tseng still didn't know if he was serious or not. The young leader did say some crazy thing's now and again but it was all in good humor, and not meant to be taken seriously.

This was not one of those times. In fact, he seemed more stern than usual. However, Rufus had been acting very peculiar the last few weeks. He was recovering physically from the dreaded geostigma that had wracked his body, but Tseng was starting to question if the disease had an effect on one's mental stability. Rufus had seemed distant lately, and had been doing and saying things out of the ordinary. The most recent occurrence being a few days ago. Tseng had walked in on Rufus who was apparently having in depth conversation, with himself. The blond hadn't even noticed he was there until Tseng called out his name, twice. Rufus had immediately stopped mid sentence and addressed Tseng as if he hadn't been talking to himself just second ago. At the time, Tseng made an excuse for his boss' odd behavior by convincing himself it was as side effect of the geostigma recovery. But now he wasn't so sure.

Suddenly, the sharply dressed blond in white smirked and reclined back into his soft leather chair.

"Tseng."

"Yes, Sir?" he said promptly.

"What did I just say?" he asked, a sly grin on his face. Maybe he had been joking after all?

"You asked for me to..." he cleared his throat due to his discomfort. "Make you a god." he finished.

Rufus nodded his head and stroked his chin quizzically. "So you did heard me? Why did you not respond?"

"I did not know you were serious." he said in an apologetic tone.

"What if I was serious?" he said with a raised blond brow.

The Turk was at a loss for words and could only stare blankly at his boss' peculiar question. Was the blond really giving him such an order? Tseng shifted underneath Rufus' scrutinizing gaze. The young president was the only man who could make the normally stoic and calm Turk heat up under his pristine glare. Tseng took a deep breath and sighed. As he had gathered up the nerve to answer, Rufus leaned over the desk and wrapped his fingers around the dark haired man's tie.

Without warning, Shinra pulled Tseng's body forward by yanking the dark tie with all his strength. It tightened dangerously around the man's neck and the dark haired one grew nervous. Rufus' eyes were wild, feral. His lips curled into a grin so wide that it seemed to stretch past facial limits. He looked demonic, deranged and quite simply mad.

"Make me a god." he ordered whilst staring directly into his subject's dark eyes, never blinking once.

"Sir, I..."

"Make me a god!"

"I don't think..."

"Make me a god! Make me your god. Make me everyone's god!" His tone was turning psychotic and Tseng couldn't hide his surprise at the blond's sudden descent into madness.

"R-Rufus..."The poor Turk tried to mutter out.

"Don't call me that!" the insane blond yelled at the top of his lungs. He pulled Tseng's tie harder as his anger rose. His eyes dilated and blue irises quivered frantically.

"Call me god! I'm your fucking god do you hear me! I'm your god!"

Against his wishes, Tseng pried Rufus' hand off his tie that was constricting his neck and pushed the mad blond back forcefully. Rufus fell back into his chair with a howl and growled at Tseng. The Turk loosened his tie and took a breath as his windpipe was opened. He looked quickly at the fuming blond, keeping a wary on him. The startled Turk wanted to leave, but at the same time, he did care for Rufus and was concerned about him.

He composed himself and rushed to the blond's side. His safety came second to Rufus'. He was breathing heavily as he fumed in his leather chair. Tseng stood by him and pressed his hand to the blond's head. It was warm but he wasn't running a fever, or hallucinating. He seemed to be calming down and the Shinra leader laid his head upon his desk. Tseng didn't know what to do, having never had to deal with this sort of thing before. Should he sedate the man? Take him to a mental ward?

Tseng was taken aback when he saw tears pour from Rufus's eyes. He had never seen him cry before and it threw him for a loop. His heart ached to see his boss, and longtime friend going insane. He knelt down beside him and ran his fingers through the blond's soft hair. He desperately wanted to help him. To take the pain and madness away. The loyal Turk caressed Rufus' cheek and spoke soothingly to him.

"Rufus, please...what can I do to help you? Tell me what to do?" he said.

More tears poured from his eyes as he looked upon the Turk. "M-make me god, Tseng."

Regardless of how impossible the request sounded, Tseng was loyal to Rufus and loved him with all his heart. He would do anything Rufus told him to do if it would help him. The Turk nodded his head and moved to the front of the desk. He got on his knees before Rufus and bowed respectfully.

"Sir, you are my god. I take it upon myself to make you everyone's god. I will give you what you ask for."

Rufus stood up and walked over to Tseng's bent form. The loyal dark haired Turk lifted his head up and gazed into the hollow blue eyes of his "god".

"You...will make me a god? Ruler of this planet?" he asked the Turk.

"Yes, I will." How he was going to do it, was beyond him. He didn't really see Rufus as anything more than a man, but he had to convince Rufus he was on his side. If he could do that then maybe he could convince Rufus to abandon his insane goal. He wasn't in his right mind, but Tseng would follow out the order as best he could.

Then as soon as the insanity had come, it was gone. Rufus' expression returned to his normally cold but definitely sane one. He looked around his surroundings as if he didn't know where he was.

"The hell?" the blond said startled. He glanced down at the Turk on the ground looking up at him.

"What are you doing down there? What just happened? Did I go somewhere?" he asked, trying to hide his panic.

The Turk stood up, also trying to hide his surprise. Rufus had returned to his normal self. Did that mean he had a split personality? The insane god Rufus and the normal sane one? What did all this mean? Was he to carry out the order or not? His head was racing with questions that had he had no answer for.

"Tseng." Rufus called his name, breaking his endless mind session of never ending questions.

"Yes, Rufus?" he said cautiously, not sure if he would tick and start demanding that he call him god.

"Well don't just stand there. We have work to do. See if you can contact Reeve. I wanted to talk to him about this World Regenesis Organization he keeps ranting about."

"Yes, Sir."

Tseng remained composed and bowed slightly as he left Rufus' office in the Healin Lodge. Rufus waved him off and continued on with his work. The Turk left the office quickly and shut the door quietly behind him. He walked across the hall and into his own office. He collapsed onto the sofa as the previous occurrence kept playing over in his mind. What the hell was he supposed to do? Follow the god Rufus' orders or just disregard them?

With an audible sigh, the Turk collected himself off the sofa and dialed Reeve's number.

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**Review if there's an interest, comment or critique. Thank you.**


	2. Chapter 2:trapped

**To become a God**

"_Our reports show that Rufus shin-ra has signed an agreement with The World Regenesis Organization led by Reeve Tuetsi. The WRO, will act as a temporary government to the World. The President had these words to say about the agreement."_

Cloud Strife watched as a clip of Rufus Shinra's most recent speech was pulled up. The ex-SOLDIER was current seated in a bar stool at the newly restored Seventh Heaven bar in Edge. With lips pressed to his glass of chardonnay, he kept his mako enhanced blue eyes locked onto the small TV screen. Rufus Shinra soon appeared onscreen with two of his most trusted Turks behind him. Cloud smirked as he recognized the vibrant redhead Reno in back ground appearing uninterested and yawning. The other Turk with the shades looked more reserved. Rufus took his stance behind the podium and smiled lightly.

"_People of this great planet, I know we are all struggling without a central government figurehead but rest assured, I have the utmost confidence in this new partnership with The World Regenesis Organization. Together, we will establish a government fitting for the people of this Planet."_

Cloud's lips pursed in annoyance as he listened with a critical ear to the words of the former ruler of the world. The people around him ate up his words like a starving child, desperate to hear what the young president had to say. Their eyes gleamed at the handsome man dressed in white as he spoke fluidly without stuttering or error, his voice was smooth and his eyes focused.

"_I Rufus Shinra, own a great debt to everyone. The Shinra company owes a great debt to the world and I intend to pay it with interest. I know I have no right to ask for your trust, and I understand if you can't give me a second chance, but I will surely try to earn it. Good people, please give the WRO your support, and my co-leader Reeve Tuesti. Together, we will lead this planet into a great united civilization that has never before been created. Thank you."_

The crowd went wild as the most influential man in the world closed his speech and waved goodbye as he headed off stage, his Turks guiding him. Cloud placed down his drink and sighed lightly. People were so stupid sometimes. How could they fall for such a man as Rufus. The ex-president of the world had been nothing but a tyrant, a bully to those around him. Did these people forget that just two years ago, Rufus Shinra was one of their enemies? How fickle were the minds of humans.

"Turn it off." the frustrated blond said to the beautiful bartender, Tifa. His childhood friend who had fought alongside him all these years. In Cloud's opinion, she had become more beautiful and appealing once she started dressing more appropriately. The dark outfit she wore now appealed to him more than the tiny halter and short suspenders she used to wear long ago.

She refilled his drink before hitting the power button on the screen. A resounding, "Awww" filled the bar. She waved them off and leaned over the counter to peer at cloud, her rather large breast pressed against the the dark counter top as she did.

"Hey you gonna be alright?" she asked in concern.

He nodded his head and took another sip of his drink. The bullshit speech Rufus had given still irked him, but not as much as the cheery sounds around the bar due to his "moving oration". Practically everyone in the bar cheered for the ex-president and their good spirits increased.

"Something's up with you, more than usual." she said, trying to coax him into spilling. Cloud sighed and shrugged his shoulder unconcerned, hoping she would drop the subject.

"Was it Rufus' speech? It was rather inspirational wasn't it. Hard to believe he was our enemy a time ago." She said lightheartedly.

"He still is our enemy." Cloud said lowly. He finished his drink and handed the empty glass to Tifa, signaling he wanted no more. She frowned and took the cup, though she never took her eyes off Cloud.

"How can you say that? He may have been troublesome in the past but I really think he's changed." She leaned closer to Cloud's face, the tip of her nose only few inches away. He didn't retort back. He had made his opinion known and he wasn't going to change it anytime soon. The brunet across from him pouted her lips at his silence and leaned closer to his face. She tried to plant a quick kiss on his cheek, but he pulled back before they made contact.

With disappointment evident in her features,she stood up and walked away from the standoff-ish blond. Cloud had made it known to her that he didn't want to have a more than friend relationship. But that didn't stop her from trying to form something between them.

''Anyway, you have a delivery job today." she said, her tone slightly bitter, though unintentionally so. "You'll never guess who requested it."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders uncaring. Tifa smiled and bounded over the the delivery section of the bar. After rummaging through a stack of papers, she pulled out a tan manilla folder and placed in in front of him. He opened it up and slight intrigue piqued.

"From Reeve? The new WRO president?"

She laughed softly. "Yup. It's so great to have such an important client!" She then handed him a small brown package. Immediately Cloud could sense it was materia, but to which kind he could not decipher. It was a higher level but It felt strange. He was curious to know what kind it was but he didn't concern himself with it any further.

"Where's it to be delivered to?" he asked.

"To the Healin Lodge. It is to be placed right in the Turk named Tseng's hands. Those were his specific orders."

Great, Cloud thought. Now he had to go see the people who were the cause of the world's current status. Hopefully he wouldn't run into the cocky young leader Rufus. He didn't trust anything that came out of that deceitful mouth.

"I'm gonna go then." He grabbed the box and stood to leave.

"Okay, I'll save you a plate for dinner. See you!"

Cloud nodded and exited the bar/delivery store. It was winter on the Eastern Continent. Snow was beginning to fall and it was dreadfully cold. It was around three' o clock when Cloud headed for the base of Shinra operations. Inwardly, Cloud was dreading going there. The last time he had went to make a "delivery", Rufus had asked him to fight the remnants that were after Jenova's head, which he had in his lap the entire time. He really was a sadist bastard, that man.

It took about a a good two hours of riding through the blistering cold and sleet before he reached the Healin Lodge located within the grasslands. He parked his fenrir in a relatively secluded area, protected from the harsh winter climate. The Lodge looked stunning in the winter setting, a blanket of pure white covered the building and surrounded the area. Cloud sniffled due to the cold, and proceeded up the steps. He had kept the box in a small compartment of his motorbike, which shielded it from the weather.

He opened the front door and closed it behind him. The warmth of the heater greeted him and he enjoyed the way his cold skin began to regain it's normal temperature. He dusted the snow off him and shook the snowflakes that had become attached in his spiky blond locks. A sudden sneeze erupted from him, the force of it effectively ridding him of his snow problem.

A door suddenly opened and small woman with a sharp business suit and glasses entered. She smiled softly at him and signaled for him to follow her. He complied and followed her through the door which led to a long hallway. The Lodge was a lot bigger on the inside than it seemed outside. Having never been this deep into the building before, Cloud had no idea where she was taking him. The small woman turned down another corridor and then another. He was slowly getting more and more confused, there was no way this building should have been this big. He felt like he was a in a magic act.

She stopped once they reached a hall that had just a few offices. The one at the very end, he assumed to be the ex-President of the world. The one he was currently standing in front of had the title, Head of General Affairs. The woman knocked twice. Once she received no answer, she opened the door and led him in.

"Please wait here." was all she said before shutting him inside.

Cloud sighed and decided to take a seat in the expensive black leather chair located across from the desk. The office was rather impressive, though a bit dark. The large desk was clear and organized with a few stack of papers neatly filed in an organizer and a sleek desktop. It was warm and comfortable and cloud relaxed back into the warmth the leather seat had retained. A large window was located behind the desk and Cloud could see the weather was getting much worse than he anticipated.

A few minutes had passed and Cloud was beginning to grow impatient. He had just wanted to deliver the object and leave. Reeve had already paid in full and he didn't need to stay for the receiving cost fee. Plus, he wanted to get home before the weather became unbearable. His phone suddenly vibrated in his side pocket and he pulled it out. Tifa had sent him a text message expressing her concern.

_You going to be alright? I knew I shouldn't have sent you out there, but I didn't think it was going to be this bad._

He was about to respond back when his sensitive mako enhanced hearing picked up on approaching footsteps. He put his phone away and hoped this person was the one he had to deliver the box to. The door opened and Cloud glanced back over his shoulder, catching eye of the "Head of General Affairs" aka "Turk". He had remembered this man and his stomach turned slightly. This Turk had been the one who had kidnapped Aerith those years ago, and they had also found the man wounded in the Temple of the ancients.

Cloud had never really got a good look at the man before, even when he had first joined SOLDIER and heard Zack talk about him on occasion. Now that he was finally face to face with the Turk without and distractions or them being in a heated, bloody conflict he was surprised to find that he was actually quite younger than he originally thought. His hair looked like fine black silk, though if he recalled correctly the Turk had changed the look of it from the slicked back one he was used to seeing.

Instead, he wore his neatly combed hair down, the length of reaching the small of his back. His skin was pale, but it had a healthy glow to it. His lips were shaped delicately so,with a pinkish hue. Seeming endless and thick dark lashes framed his dark eyes, the color of coffee, though they shone brightly due to mako treatments. He was thin, though he could see he was well fit regardless. His look was completed with a sharp black suit, which had also been changed from the blue ones they hand worn previously. He was indeed, quite stunning.

The Turk took his seat behind his immaculate desk and looked upon Cloud with sharp eyes, but no threateningly so. Still, the spiky haired blond shifted underneath his gaze. It was little wonder why he was the leader of the Turks, Cloud thought. He had the ex-SOLDIER feeling uncomfortable with just a stare. The blond cleared his throat nervously and held out the box to the Turk.

"I'm supposed to give this to you. I assume you know who it's from." he said evenly, still holding the box out for the Turk to take.

Tseng smirked at Cloud's forwardness and took the box from him. Cloud shuddered as the man's surprisingly soft fingers touched his during the transaction. He didn't like how the man was making him feel awkward in his presence. Once the box was handed over, he had a mind to leave without saying another word, but the Turk spoke, his voice smooth and melodious.

"Thank you, Mr. Strife. I appreciate you coming out here regardless of the weather." He opened one if his drawers and pulled out a clip of Gil. He made to hand it to the blond but Cloud shook his head.

"Um...I've already been paid."

"That's quite alright." He leaned forward and locked eyes with Cloud's. The spiky blond felt heat rise up in his cheeks as the gorgeous man before him moved closer, his eyes never breaking contact with Cloud's.

"Take the Gil, please." he said, though his tone indicated the blond had little choice in the matter. Reluctantly, Cloud grabbed the money and shoved it into his pocket. He stood up abruptly, his cheeks slightly flushed. Why was the dark Turk making him rouse like this?

"Well, if you don't require me anymore, I'll be leav-."

"Sit down." The dark haired man commanded in such a tone that Cloud immediately complied. He sat back down slowly, mentally slapping himself for obeying the order without question or hesitation. Tseng stood up and strode over to a table where he had a coffee maker. He poured himself a cup, then commenced to add so much sugar that Cloud thought he would get sick.

"Would you care for a cup?" he asked while he stirred his sugar and added a bit of milk. Cloud shook his head and commenced to try and leave again.

"No thanks, I really should be-"

"Sit down, Mr. Strife." He ordered once again. And again Cloud sat back down, a slight scowl on his pretty features. He wasn't so much bothered by the man's orders as much as he was nerved by his own reaction to do as this man told him.

Tseng took his seat with his sweet cup of coffee in his hand. He closed his eyes and sipped lightly at his hot drink. Cloud cheeks reddened as the Turk licked his lips after tasting his coffee, savoring the sweet caffeinated substance. He gently placed his cup down and pointed to the window behind him. The snow was falling heavily now. He could barely make out the scenery past the thick falling snow.

"It's to bad to go out and weather reports indicate it will only worsen. You are staying here until it lets up." the Turk said with no suggestion included. Cloud made a noise of annoyance with his teeth. This guy was starting to get underneath his skin. All he had been doing was ordering him around and Cloud had obeyed his every command. Well he was quite fed up with it.

"I am leaving whether-" the blond was cut off once again, though this time by a phone call. He held up a finger to Cloud, signaling he should wait. The ex-SOLDIER was appalled, his anger rising.

"Tseng here," the dark haired man said. He listened for a moment before taking another sip of his coffee. Cloud's eye twitched in annoyance as the Turk talked on the phone. He felt utterly disrespected by the man across from him. Finally deciding he wouldn't put up with it anymore, he rose up from his seat and headed for the exit. Tseng promptly hung up the phone.

Cloud was almost relieved when his fingers touched the door handle. He pulled the knob but found that he couldn't open it. He tried to turn and twist the knob but it wouldn't budge. He shot a fierce look back to the Turk who was typing away at his computer, completely ignoring the angry blond who was struggling with the door.

"Why is the door locked?" he questioned with a sharp undertone.

"So you can't get out. It's that simple." he said, his eyes never leaving the computer screen.

He tried to open it again but it was securely locked shut. With a defeated sigh, Cloud leaned against the door and stared at the attractive Turk leader, who seemed deep into is work.

"You're welcome to take a nap on the couch over there. I'll wake you if the storm lets up." he said.

Could defiantly stayed where he was and pulled out his phone. He quickly texted Tifa that he'd been home later than expected though didn't mention it was because a certain dark haired Turk had locked him in. He gazed out the window, trying to will the storm away with his thoughts. It failed of course, and he was left reclining against the dark wooden door.

After an hour he was still standing strong, his thoughts of his the past keeping him entertained. After two hours, he was relatively bored with his own thoughts and his knees were starting to ache from standing in one place for to long. But after about three hours, he was all but bored out of his mind a bit tired. He glanced at the dark soft leather couch that was looking way more comfortable than having to stand. With a quick look at Tseng, he made his way over to the inviting couch. A brief smirk formed on the Turk's face as Could sat down on the sofa and sighed.

Could relaxed into the soft leather and crossed his arms. He closed his eyes, telling himself he's just sleep for a little bit. Then he passed out.


	3. Chapter 3: Interest

**Thank you for the reviews of interest, please continue to do so :D

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**To Become a God**

Cloud awoke to the sound of someone calling his name. The voice was soft and melodious, though definitely masculine. He opened his eyes slightly, his vision slowly returning. He briefly widened his eyes and dark slacks came into view. The spiky haired blond yawned and closed his eyes once more. He was quite comfortable wherever he was, and he didn't want to awake just yet. The pant legs soon disappeared and Cloud drifted back to sleep. He hadn't had a good sleep like this in ages. When he had been living in Aerith's church, the wooden pews were highly uncomfortable. And now that he was living at Seventh Heaven, the constant noise of children kept him up.

He felt someone gently shake him and he opened his eyes once again. This time, a face was in his line of view. The dark haired vision in the expensive black suit was staring at him, a charming smile on his lips.

"It's time to wake up, Mr. Strife." Tseng said, his voice like liquid silk.

Cloud yawned and shifted in the warmth and softness of the couch. He sat up slowly, slightly disoriented from coming out of a dead sleep. Hazy, sapphire eyes regarded the man in front of him. Tseng smirked at the spiky haired one, more than amused.

"Seems you had quite a nap there. Nap meaning you slept for four hours." He added with humor.

The ex-SOLDIER woke up at that. He shook the effects of sleep away and jumped up, his mind racing. He hadn't planned on sleeping that long. In fact , he hadn't planned on staying at all. Gathering himself together, he maneuvered past the Turk to make a hasty exit, but he stopped when the sight of pure white glistening snow caught his eye. He stared out of the large window and a slight frown formed on his lips. The entire land, from as far as he could see was covered with snow. From what he could tell it had snowed a few more feet. The plowed road he had ridden in on was virtually covered again. It was almost dark and the snow showed no sign of letting up. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. There was now way he could leave now.

Tseng came up beside him as he continued to gaze out the window. Cloud held in a scowl as the man stood next to him. He thought it was mostly Tseng's fault he was stranded here. His lips twitched at the scowl that was rising, but he suppressed it and shot a glance at the long haired man next to him.

"You'll be staying here, obviously." Tseng said, as if he had already anticipated Cloud's concerns.

The blond youth had a mind to snap at the cocky Turk, but he held his tongue. It wasn't worth getting all riled up over because he wouldn't be able to leave if he wanted to. He'd just stay for the night and hope the weather was in his favor tomorrow. He sighed and crossed his arms.

"Just show me to a guest room and..."

"There aren't any." The suited man interjected.

Cloud raised a questioning brow to the other. "Pardon?"

"The guest rooms are all unavailable." he said casually. Cloud was growing tired of the Turk's vagueness.

"Um...okay, but where will _ I _be staying if all rooms are occupied?" he said sharply.

Tseng took his seat back at his desk and commenced to shut down the computer he had been working on. He closed it and gathered up a few papers that had been neatly stacked up on his desk. The papers were then placed into an expensive looking black briefcase and carefully locked up. He grabbed the handle of the case and stood up, double checking his immaculately clean desk for anything he'd missed. The long haired Turk leader crossed the room in the direction of the door.

"Please, follow me." he said to Cloud, who was a little more than annoyed by now. Reluctantly, he followed the man and exited the office trailing quietly behind him.

Cloud walked a few feet behind Tseng, not really wanting to be around him but also not really having a choice at the moment. He noticed how the man's silky dark hair flowed lightly as he walked, the ending tendrils of his hair cutting off just above his...

The blond quickly lifted his head back up before his eyes trailed down any lower. He saw Tseng glance over his shoulder to grin slyly at him. Cloud, as fair skinned as he was, couldn't not hide the pinking of his cheeks. His eyes focused on the man's full smirking lips until the dark haired one turned around. The spiky blond bit the inside of his cheek to punish himeslf for letting his gaze linger on the Turk's luscious mouth for to long. He was starting to become quite irritated with himself and how he was acting around the presumptuous man.

Tseng led him into a another hall, where a small elevator was. He pressed the button to open doors and entered, Cloud right behind him. The blond stood in the corner away from him, lest the Turk rouse him again. The ride was short and they stepped out into another hallway. This one only had four doors, though they were greatly spaced apart. They were currently headed in the direction of a door that was a little bit a ways away from the others. Tseng pulled out a key and opened the door.

"You'll be staying here, with us." The Turk said before he pushed the door open.

Cloud would have asked "Who's us?", but Tseng was already walking in. He came in after him and was surprised to find himself in a very moderately sized, but nicely decorated home. His eyes wandered around the place at the interior. A black and white contemporary theme with red accents were the base décor. The tables were all glass, even down to the last side table. On the wall of the living room was an unbelievably large TV screen. The long black couches with red throw pillows were positioned in front of the TV. It was indeed, a very nice living space.

When he had come in, the TV was on though it appeared there was no one watching it. Tseng placed his briefcase on the dark granite kitchen counter before loosening his tie with a relaxed sigh. He shot a grin at Cloud who was taking in his surroundings. Tseng laughed lightly at the blond, who seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"Make yourself at home." Tseng said trying to relax the man. "Feel free to access anything you like. I'm going to shower and change. You may do the same if you'd like. I'll bring you a change of clothes for tonight."

Cloud nodded his head and took off his shoes. He didn't want to dirty or scratch up the floors with his combat boots. Tseng smirked and signaled for him to follow once again. The dark haired man led him to a bathroom and flipped on the light.

"I'll leave a change of clothes by the door." he said before leaving.

Cloud sighed and began to undress. He needed a nice hot shower to make him relax. Once he was completely unclothed, he turned on the water and adjusted the temperature to hot. He turned the handle and the shower came to life. Slowly, he stepped into the water and closed the shower door. Almost immediately, he felt the tension melt away. He closed his eyes and stood directly in the line of the shower head. It had been to long since had the luxury of hot water. At Seventh Heaven, hot water was a commodity that didn't happen often. He was lucky if the water wasn't freezing by the time he got up.

After a few minutes, he turned the shower off and stepped out. He grabbed a nearby towel and dried off. His hair now laid flat and gently brushed against his neck. After he was dry, he slightly opened the bathroom door to find the clothes that Tseng had left him. He picked them up and closed the door. The Turk had selected a plain white shirt, boxers and a pair of dark blue cotton pants. They were very comfortable, the material very light and thin. He folded up his clothes and carried them with him as he left the bathroom.

He returned back to living area and placed his clothes next his shoes. The blond felt light and weightless without all the clothes and heavy gear he wore. He noticed the TV was still on and it was starting to bother him. He knew that the Shin-Ra company had money but did they have to waste power like that just because they could afford it? The blond, deciding he was going to turn off the television, stood up and walked over to the living area.

As Cloud moved closer to the area, he thought he heard light snoring. He walked over cautiously and was startled once he saw who the light breathing was coming from. Apparently, someone was watching TV, or had been at some point. His mouth slightly widened at the sight.

Rufus Shin-Ra was passed out on the dark sofa. He was in light clothing, a long V-neck shirt and thigh length shorts, all white. His hair seemed longer and it looked as if he hadn't even bothered with it at all today. Cloud peered over the couch to get a closer look at the young President. The shadow of long blond eyelashes fell upon his cheeks. His lips were parted by the soft breaths of sleep. Cloud found his eyes trailing down to the other blond's legs. So fine and smooth they seemed to be.

This man, he thought. This man and his company were responsible for the state of Gaia. His company's abuse of the lifestream had really fucked up the planet. Of course there were other factors that had brought upon the almost end of the planet, but it all went back to one source. Shin-Ra. He just couldn't see how the people of the world were beginning to fall for this man's lies. This man, who was currently asleep on his couch with his overly huge TV screen blaring. Pathetic.

And yet, he couldn't stop himself from looking at the man's beautiful looks. His Golden hair sprawled out like a halo around his head. His skin was as pale as his own, though his build was leaner. If he recalled correctly, Rufus was about the same height as he was, though television made him seem much taller than 5'7".

Such a mix was Rufus Shinra. To be so beautiful and yet be the epitome of deceit. It made Cloud want to bash the man's face in, make his outer appearance coincide with the inside. But another part of him was enthralled by the man who could sway millions with the sound of his voice and wondrous appearance.

He found himself draw to the outstretch figure. His hand reached out to the other. Just a touch, he told himself. To feel the skin of the man who had caused so many problems for them in the past. His fingers were so close to his tantalizing cheek.

"See something you like, Mr. Strife?"

Cloud withdrew his hand and whipped around frantically. He hadn't even heard the dark Turk come up from behind him. His eyes widened in surprise and he almost stumbled back on the very couch Rufus was sleeping on. He shot daggers at Tseng until he noticed his appearance. A heated flush rose up on his cheeks at the sight. He inwardly wondered what the hell was wrong with him today. After years of hormonal inactivity, he found himself rousing to the sight of the beautiful men around him.

Tseng had on tight black shirt that stopped just above his pale hipbones. He wore loose fitting black sweats that hung dangerously low on his hips. His still damp hair was tied up into a messy pony tail. Various strands of hair dark hair hung down his face. A sly grin formed on his lips as he looked at the furiously blushing blond.

"Ah?" Cloud tried to speak but he couldn't think of anything. Tseng's everyday casual outfit was just to out of the ordinary for what he was used to seeing him in. Come to think of it, he'd never seen any of the Turk's without their uniforms on.

"Would you mind stepping aside, I need to wake him up."

Cloud moved out of the way, though he found that he couldn't keep his eyes from wandering over Tseng's body. The dark haired man leaned over the couch to shake the sleeping man. Cloud couldn't help but let his eyes wander down to Tseng's perfectly shaped bottom as he bent over. The blond bit his lip as he tried to advert his eyes.

"Rufus...Sir, it's time to wake up." he said softly to the blond.

Rufus yawned and stretched his limbs out. He groaned before he sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The young leader looked at Tseng with a slight frown.

"What time is it?" he asked through another wide yawn.

"It's about six. Shall I prepare a meal?"

Rufus nodded his head before his eyes went to the blond standing behind Tseng. Cloud's eyes wandered away from Tseng's bent form to stare at Rufus. The former world leader stood up and walked over to Cloud. The ex-SOLDIER tensed up as the other came closer. He took in Rufus' tousled appearance. His blond hair had indeed grown a bit, the tips nicking his fine jawbone. His plush lips quirked up into a grin. But it was his eyes that had Cloud nervous. Those sharp blue eyes, always fierce, always arrogant. They shone like liquid mercury.

"So it's true. You are staying here." he said. His voice as fluid and clear as Cloud had heard on television earlier.

Tseng snickered. "Why would I lie to you, Sir."

"You've done it in the past." he said sauntering over to the kitchen. He sat on a bar stool and ran his fingers through his blond locks.

"Get me a drink would you, Tseng." Rufus requested. He looked back at Cloud and motioned for him to take a seat next to him. He did as was suggested and sat next to the other blond haired man. It felt so strange to be next to him. He didn't fear Rufus, not in the least. But there was another emotion brewing up within Cloud as he sat next to the blond. He felt this even moreso with Rufus than with Tseng, thought it was still definitely there with the Turk as well. He knew what the feeling was, but he suppressed it.

Tseng placed a glass in front of Rufus and poured him a glass of wine. "Would you care for a glass, Mr. Strife?" Tseng asked.

"No thank you." he said evenly.

Tseng shrugged his shoulders and commenced to gather his cooking materials.

"What's for supper?" Rufus asked idly.

"Fish..."

Cloud involuntarily jumped up when Rufus slammed his fist on the counter. His glass drink bounced up and clanged back down.

"Fuck Fish! That's all you ever cook! I'm sick of it!" The blond yelled.

Tseng didn't seem fazed by his outburst and smiled at Cloud.

"You'll have to excuse my boss. Because of the winter storms, our food supplies have been limited. We have a lot of fish, so that's what I cook."

"For five straight days!" Rufus scowled. "Cook something else."

"Very well then, how about a nice salad."

"I want to feel full. Do not feed me that shit."

In all honesty, Cloud didn't care to much for salad either, but he'd eat anything right now. He was quite hungry from not eating all day. Tseng smirked and leaned over the counter, his face relatively close to Rufus'.

"Sir, why don't you and Cloud watch TV or something while I prepare the meal?" he suggested.

Rufus sighed but stood up anyway. He waltzed over to the living area and began flipping through the channels. Cloud hadn't moved from his seat yet. He didn't want to be left alone with Rufus. Tseng leaned over in front of him and smirked.

"Do me a favor and keep him company would you?"

Cloud wanted to ignore him but instead, he nodded his head and walked slowly to where Rufus was. Tseng cast him a sly wink before resuming his responsibility in the kitchen. He knew the Turk was up to something but he didn't know what. Shrugging the feeling off as paranoia, Cloud made his way over to where Rufus was seated. He was still flipping through channels, a bored expression on his face. He sat about three feet away from the blond leader, not wanting to get to close.

Finally, after several minutes of mindless searching, he finally stopped on a channel, a news station to Cloud's dismay. Then Cloud realized why he stopped. It was a newscast of Rufus Shinra himself . It was just a recap of the speech he made several weeks ago but he watched it so intensely, one would think that he was looking at another giving the speech and not himself.

_Probably thinking of more lies to tell the public, _Cloud thought.

"How've you been?" Rufus suddenly asked, surprising Cloud that he was actually starting small talk with him.

"I've been..." Cloud had been so caught off guard that he didn't think of a response. How had he been? He hadn't been asked that question in so long he really didn't know what to say. He hadn't really ever though about it.

"I've been alright." he said evenly.

Rufus make a small noise of acknowledgment before flipping through channels again. Cloud sat there feeling awkward. Should he continue the conversation? Rufus had already taken the first initiative, the least he could do was keep it going. He cleared his throat beforehand.

"Um...How have you been?" he asked, mentally slapping himself for being so lame as to ask the same question back.

"Busy, but not really as of late. The damn weather is so bad I can't travel like I need to." He answered.

Cloud nodded his head in agreement. Rufus shifted in his seat and moved a little closer to him. The ex-SOLDIER tried to hide his nervousness as the man got closer. He had only moved a few inches closer, but it was enough to make Cloud tense. He could feel the man's sharp, piercing gaze on him him but he didn't dare look him directly at him.

"Did you watch my speech?" he asked with a humorous undertone.

"Yes, so did everyone else one this planet." He said, hoping Rufus would drop the subject.

"What did you think?" he asked, not even trying to hold back his grin.

Cloud chewed his bottom lip in thought. Should he tell him what he really thought? About how he thought most of what came out of his mouth was fabricated and false? Or should he lie and make something up? Then again, Rufus Shinra was sharp and would probably know if he was lying.

"I thought it was well spoken." And it had been very well said and eloquently worded, but he still thought it was all bullshit.

"Thank you." he said moving closer to the other. Cloud licked his lips that had suddenly become dry. Rufus was only a few inches away now. The smell of his cologne wafted around Cloud. It smelled wonderful and if even possible, it smelled like it cost more than what Cloud made in a years salary. Rufus flicked some of his bangs out of his eyes and smirked.

"Now tell me the truth." His tone was sly, voice sharp and demanding. Cloud fought the urge to take the coward's way out and excuse himself to the bathroom, but he stayed seated. If Rufus wanted the truth from him then so be it.

"In my opinion, I honestly can't believe anything that comes out of your mouth. I think you are trying to deceive us and I will not fall for Shinra trickery ever again." He said seriously, meaning every word.

Rufus looked at him with an unreadable expression and crossed his legs. He leaned his head down as if in deep thought. Cloud didn't know how to react to his sudden change in behavior, so he just sat quietly. He tossed an occasional glace back at the Turk who was cooking in the kitchen. He could smell the seasonings the fish were being doused with. It made his mouth water.

The brooding man next to Cloud suddenly lifted his head up and turned to face him. But the look in his eyes had changed. He looked genuinely affected by what Cloud had said.

"So...you don't think I can change, or have changed?" He asked the ex-SOLDIER by his side. Cloud was taken aback by the man's soft tone. He looked actually like he had been hurt by Cloud's words, and for that he felt bad. But he couldn't change how he felt.

"If it's any consolation, most of AVALANCHE seems to trust you." Cloud added, hoping to ease Rufus' mind. But instead he shrugged his shoulders.

"That's...great, but it doesn't really matter if the very leader of the group doesn't trust me." He said with a sigh. "But I'm still confident I can change your mind."

"It's going to take a lot of convincing."

Rufus renewed the coy smirk on his lips and moved so close to Cloud their legs were touching. He grew nervous but he couldn't bring himself to draw away from the other. Rufus leaned over and lightly placed his fingers on Cloud's chest, the thin material of the shirt allowed for him to feel the heated fingertips on his flesh underneath. Rufus hooded his eyes seductively and licked his rose colored lips. Cloud's heart was racing at the man's forwardness and the lustrous look on the other blond's face was making his loins stir.

"Well, Cloud Strife, I will do everything within my power to gain your trust. I _**will**_ make you believe in me."

Just as Cloud was about to contemplate the peculiar choice of words Rufus had used, he found the man's plush lips against his own. His eyes widened in shock and he stiffened. Still, the lips against his didn't cease to move. He couldn't believe that Rufus Shinra was kissing him! The ex-president of the world pulled away with a parting lick.

Cloud threw all caution to the wind as he laced his fingers into the other man's golden hair and forced their lips to meet once again. He wasn't really thinking at this point. The only thought he could process was how could a man so deceitful and conniving, taste so wonderfully good? His lips were so soft and light like red rose petals. Although it was considered a chaste kiss, Cloud found himself wanting to taste the inside of the others mouth and much more.

He broke their light embrace of the lips and stared into the lusty blue eyes of the blond in all white before him. Embarrassed, Cloud drew back and stood up abruptly from the couch.

"W-We should go see if the food is ready." he said fumbling over his words.

Rufus smirked cockily and rose up as well. He flipped his hair back vainly and licked his lips amorously.

"Very well, let's go see what he has cooked up."

He walked past Cloud fluidly, trailing his fingertips across the expanse of the ex-SOLDIER's well formed chest as he crossed his path. Cloud stood standing in the living room, trying to think of an explanation to what he had basically allowed to happen and encouraged to progress. He continued to stand there confused and conflicted with his own lusts and emotions. He just couldn't figure it out.

Wasn't Rufus supposed to be his enemy?

.

.

.

.


	4. Chapter 4:Orders

**To Become a God **

Tseng smiled pleasantly as the two blonds reentered the kitchen. They didn't know that the inconspicuous Turk had seen their little kiss and was quite amused by Cloud's apprehension. The spiky haired one had a conflicted look on his face as he took a seat on the bar stool. Completely opposite of Cloud's gloomy mood, Rufus was practically beaming, a sly grin plastered on his handsome face.

"Is supper ready?" Rufus asked.

"Just about."

Tseng took out a few plates from the cabinet and placed them in front of the two men seated at the island counter. He placed silverware and napkins on the side of their plates and then tended to the fish. With extreme care, he picked up the pan by the handle and served them the hot fish onto their plates. A side salad was given in a small bowl along with vinaigrette dressing. Once they were severed, Tseng quickly made his plate and sat on the other side of Cloud. He was pleased to see that they had waited for him to sit down with his food before they started eating.

"Um...thanks." Cloud said politely, though he adverted his eyes.

Tseng smiled genuinely. "Why thank you Cloud. It's nice to see my efforts are appreciated." the long haired man said, his eyes flicking over to Rufus. The blond in white snickered. Tseng had been cooking for Rufus ever since he became incapacitated by geostigma. At the time, only the Turks were around to assist their afflicted fallen leader and Tseng had taken up the chore of cooking. But the man never verbally thanked him for anything he made, a simple nod of recognition was all he ever got.

The ate their meals mostly in silence. Tseng had to admit, the fish he made was pretty damn good. Cloud all but devoured his meal and Tseng could tell he wanted more, but wouldn't voice it. Tseng finished his bite and regarded the modest blond.

"Would you like some more?" Tseng asked Cloud. The ex-SOLDIER was about to answer him, but Rufus rudely interrupted.

"Hell yes I would." He said while handing his plate to the Turk, stretching his arm across Cloud to do so.

The corner of Cloud's mouth twitched at Rufus' boorish behavior but nodded his head to Tseng regardless. The Turk took both their plates and got up to get them more food. He placed a cut of fish on both their plates and set it in front of them. Cloud nodded in thanks and Rufus just tore at his food. Tseng was about to take his seat when the ex-president cleared his throat and tapped his empty glass on the table, meaning he wanted a refill. The Turk stood up once again and grabbed the bottle of wine from the counter. He refilled the blond's glass, very aware of the man's intense eyes on him.

"Wine?" he offered to Cloud, and again the he declined. Tseng pulled out two more glasses from the counter and poured cold water into both. He handed one to Cloud and sipped at his as he went to his seat. But once again he heard the signature "clearing of the throat" sound from Rufus, another gesture that meant he required the Turk's attention.

"Yes, Rufus?" he asked as he took his seat.

"Do you think the storm will let up tomorrow? We had that meeting with Reeve scheduled for then."

"The weather reports indicated it will only worsen this week. Maybe we should just have the meeting via satellite." he suggested.

Rufus sighed. "You know how I absolutely hate that. That fucking five second delay drives me insane."

"Well I've already taken the liberty of canceling the meeting."

"What?" Rufus snapped.

Tseng was taken aback by the sudden anger in his voice. It wasn't like it was a big deal, and it was only the logical thing to do in regards to the vicious winter storm.

"I canceled..."

"You canceled my meeting?"

Tseng was confused as to why Rufus' was making a big deal out of this.

"Yes, Rufus..."

"Don't call me that." the blond hissed out and Tseng's heart raced. He recognized that borderline psychotic tone and he knew the situation was about to get much worse. It had been so long since that night of insanity that Tseng had sometimes thought he dreamed the whole incident. He had just categorized the unfortunate event as a side effect of his body recovering from geostigma. Tseng hadn't even bothered to take the blond's ludicrous command seriously.

He didn't know if Rufus was about to spiral off into madness like he had before, but he definitely had to get him out of Cloud's proximity. The blond could not know of Rufus' instability, lest he tell others and word would get out. His boss' reputation would be tarnished beyond repair and his attempts at gaining world trust would become impossible. The Turk had to keep his composure in front of Cloud, otherwise he might get suspicious.

Tseng smiled at Cloud before standing up from his seat. His food would go cold tonight.

"You'll have to pardon his mood, he hasn't been out for awhile and he's slightly more tense." he said smoothly to the blond.

He wrapped his arm around his boss' and lightly pulled him down from his stool. "Sir, perhaps you should turn in early?"

He started to guide the increasingly raging man away from the kitchen. "Please feel free to eat to your contentment. Goodnight."

Cloud furrowed his brows confused and curious, but nodded his head. "Goodnight then." he said before returning back to his food.

He hurriedly pulled the man down the hall. Rufus was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with breaths of air spilling through gritted teeth. Tseng opened the the door to Rufus' bedroom and ushered him into the large space. He closed and locked the door behind him. It was dim in the room, illuminated only by a bedside lamp. The dark haired Turk could see his boss' trembling form by the window. He quickly rushed beside him and gently tapped the man's shoulder.

Rufus snarled at the touch and glared fiercely at him. Tseng withdrew his hand and took a step back, though Rufus followed suit. His blue eyes quivered as he moved toward the Turk, an angry twisted look on his handsome features. Tseng watched his movements carefully as the blond approached him.

"Rufus, Sir...please calm..."

The blond was upon him within a second. Tseng greatly surprised by the man's sudden increase in speed. He stood face to face with the Turk, his lips curled back into a malicious grin.

"Who gave you permission to cancel my shit without my consensus?" he bit out, his tone dark and menacing.

"It was the logical thing to do because of the weather." he stated. Rufus clicked his teeth in disappointment.

"You don't have the authority."

"Actually, I do. You gave it to me." he said.

Rufus scowled. "Just shut the fuck up." he snapped. The blond then sat down in his arm chair and crossed his legs. His fingers tapped impatiently on the leather material. His eyes never left the Turk's form. Tseng just stood away from his angered boss, not really knowing what to do about the situation.

"Come here." Rufus commanded coldly, his icy stare locked onto the Turk. Tseng hesitated. He didn't know what the man would do, but he didn't want to risk Rufus going off and Cloud hearing him. He cautiously made his way over to the smirking form. He stopped a few feet in front of him but Rufus beckoned him closer. The Turk moved forward until he stood right in front of the seated blond.

"I want a status report of your mission." he said sharply.

"Mission?" the Turk questioned, almost instantly regretting it. Rufus' eyes flickered with annoyance.

"Yes you dumb fuck." he hissed out annoyed."The mission I gave you. You told me you'd make me a god."

Oh yeah, that mission, the dark haired man thought regretfully. He hadn't done anything at all in regards to the ridiculous request. He stood before his "god" empty handed with nothing to give.

"I...haven't started on it, Sir." he said nervously.

"So here you are, standing before your god and telling me you haven't even begun to carry out my orders." the blond leader said, silent fury laced with his words.

Tseng bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, Rufus. I've just been preoccu..."

"What the hell did you call me?" the blond interrupted with a bitter tone. Tseng lifted his eyes up to view the man from his bent form.

"I called you Rufus. That is your name." the Turk said hoping Rufus would rationalize. The blond stood up over the man's slightly bowed head, before entwining his fingers into Tseng's hair.

"I know my name, I just don't think you're worthy of saying it." He suddenly shoved the Turk down until he was kneeling. Tseng grimaced as his knees collided with the floor. He looked up at Rufus though dark lashes. Rufus grinned before sitting back in his chair. His blue eyes burned fiercely upon the kneeling man in front of him.

"At the moment, you are not even worthy of serving me, seeing as how you can't even follow a simple order."

_You call ordering someone to make you a god simple?_ The Turk inwardly thought, but did not voice his opinion. Tseng looked down at the floor, not wanting to look up at the man before him. He suddenly heard the shifting of clothes coming from Rufus.

"However," Rufus began with an amused tone. "you are worthy of this."

Tseng slowly lifted his head to see what Rufus was referring to. His breath hitched once he saw what Rufus had done. The blond was grinning menacingly, his eyes locked onto dark ones as he palmed his exposed cock. Tseng quickly turned to look away from the sight, though he could still hear Rufus' light breathing. He hoped Rufus wasn't implying that the only thing he was "worthy" of was his cock.

The Turk felt like fleeing from the situation but he knew there would be even worse repercussions if he left. He couldn't leave Rufus alone without knowing when his madness would pass, or even if it would pass. The man could end up hurting himself or he could go ballistic like he had before. Cloud would most definitely hear his insane and enraged screams and Rufus' image would be at risk. He cared to much for Rufus to let him fall once again.

"Come and serve me." came Rufus' breathy command.

Tseng bit his lip as he slowly lifted his head. His boss was leisurely stroking himself in his chair. He moved closer to Rufus and knelt between his legs. He would do anything to keep the psychotic man from going off. He had done this plenty of times before but never with his boss. Their relationship and been simply platonic. Rufus leaned forward and laced his fingers into Tseng's hair.

"Serve me good in all things and your reward will be great." he said to the kneeling man. "Understand?"

Tseng nodded his head. Rufus smirked before pulling the man's head forward. The Turk felt the other's manhood press up against his lips. The slick head ghosted lightly around his lips as Rufus rotated his heated flesh across plush lips. He then pushed forward, parting Tseng's mouth to take his cock. A soft sigh fell from his lips as he entered the kneeling man's mouth.

The dark haired man closed his eyes as the hard sex was eased into his mouth. He couldn't bare to look at the man, his friend, who was treating him like this. He knew Rufus wasn't mentally stable but it still hurt all the same.

He suckled lightly at the velvety flesh in his mouth, hoping it would end soon. Rufus moaned softly above Tseng and bucked his hips, urging the man to take more of him. He opened his mouth wider to accommodate the girth of the blond. His tongue coiled around the mass and he increased his suction. Little droplets of precum were seeming from the slit and onto his active tongue. He removed Rufus' hand to replace it with his own. He held the base firmly as he started to bob his head up and down on Rufus' weeping cock.

The blond above him sighed in pleasure and leaned forward once again to touch the Turk's hair. He roughly pulled out the hair tie, and his long dark hair fell like a curtain. Rufus smirked and pulled the man's hair behind his ear to keep the hair out of his face. Tseng took more of him in his mouth and sucked even harder, his cheeks hollowing. His tongue never ceased movement around the hot flesh in his mouth. He drew back slowly, his tongue gliding wetly along Rufus' cock before he released him.

Rufus' eyes were fluttering from the man's skilled tongue. He moaned breathlessly when the Turk released his cock with a wet popping sound. His tongue then lapped at the sides of the pink twitching flesh, the large underside vein pulsated against his slick muscle. He brought his lips back up to the pink tip. He pulled the flesh back around it, exposing it fully. The tip of his tongue teased the little slit, and lapped at the dripping precum. He slowly took the head into his mouth and began sucking it vigorously. He bobbed his head up and down on his cock and twisted it around to pleasure the man, his mouth swirling around his sex.

Rufus placed his hands on both sides of the man's head. He forcefully shoved more of his cock into Tseng's hot little mouth, holding his head firmly in place, making sure he took it all. The raven haired man quickly relaxed his throat to take more of the offender inside. He wiggled his tongue around, tasting the new flesh as it entered. Rufus gave him little time to adjust before he started to push as much of his cock as he could into him. Tseng held back the gag that was rising.

His head was pulled forward to take more than he could at one time. He strained against the long pale mass that hit the back of his throat. Rufus moaned and then started to thrust into Tseng's mouth, much to his dismay. He pulled back until only the tip rested on the man's tongue. Thrusting his hips forward, he plunged deep into his mouth. He bobbed the Turk's head up and down on him, heightening his pleasure. Tseng could only concentrate on restraining his gag reflex as the blond ruthlessly used his mouth. He wasn't even given a warning before Rufus' muscles contracted and he came in his mouth.

He released the man's cock and immediately regretted it. Rufus had still been cumming when Tseng suddenly pulled him out of his mouth. His cum spurted onto his face, landing on his cheeks, lips and eyes. Tseng grimaced as the sticky, milky substance streamed down his face and fell in little droplets from his long dark eyelashes. He felt so disgusted now, so used. He wanted to clean his face and brush his teeth to rid him of Rufus' essence. He made to stand but Rufus halted him by placing his hand atop his head. Tseng looked up the man, his face wet and covered in Rufus' mess.

"You served your god well in matters of the flesh." He said through a grin. "Now all I need you to do is follow my orders."

He gripped the Turk's sticky cheeks between his fingers and squeezed tightly, effectively holding him in place. "I will give you one month to make progress. If you do not follow my orders this time severe punishment will ensue. Do not underestimate me on this. You do not want to be punished by me, I assure you my methods are quite effective."

Inwardly Tseng wondered what methods could a man like Rufus inflict on him, a Turk. He'd dealt with pain his whole life due to his profession. He's been shot, cut, almost tortured to death and he'd been stabbed by Sephiroth's Masamune. What kind of punishment could he give to a Turk? To him? But Tseng was no fool, he knew how clever Rufus was , regardless of insanity or not. The blond would figure out a proper punishment fitting for him. He slightly shuddered at the thought.

Rufus suddenly yanked his head forward and crushed their lips together. The blond shoved his tongue into the man's mouth as far as it could possibly go. His skilled muscle twirled around Tseng's tongue before he released his mouth. He smirked at the Turk before placing his foot on Tseng's forehead and giving him a swift kick with just enough force to make him fall back.

"Leave now, subject. The next time I see you there had better be good news, or there won't be for you."

Tseng nodded his head and stood up to leave when suddenly Rufus sprung up from his chair. He roughly grabbed the Turk's hair and gave it a harsh yank, eliciting a hiss of pain from the man. Rufus' eyes were glowing with fury, his expression one of rage.

"Bow down to me before you leave my presence!" he yelled viciously at the pained Turk. He released Tseng's hair and the man fell to the ground. The Turk knelt and bowed lowly to the man who stood above him. Tseng's heart was racing with all the emotions he was experiencing. It was almost unbearable to see his friend treating him like he was a piece of shit. Rufus may have been difficult, but when it all came down to it, they really cared about each other. He had even told him so once, a memory that Tseng held dear.

"You're dismissed. Don't bother me for the rest of the night." Rufus said coldly before returning to his chair. He stared blankly out, not really focusing on anything in particular. His eyes quivered and his fingers twitched on the armrest. He wasn't even looking at the Turk, having ignored his presence.

Tseng stood up, fully immersed in shame and hurt. He exited the room quietly, not looking back once, though he heard the mumbling madness coming from the man in the chair. He closed the door softy behind him. He stood outside of the door, looking down at the sleek wooden flooring. He could still faintly hear him from with in the room. Tseng slowly walked away from the door. A small plop of salty water followed behind him with each step he took as he moved away from the madness within the room.


	5. Chapter 5:Distant

To Become a God 

Cloud Strife was currently sitting on the sofa watching television in the same slouching position he'd been in for the past hour. Tseng hadn't returned from escorting the young blond to his bedchamber and he was bored. He couldn't sleep due to having slept most of the day in Tseng's office. After he had finished his meal, he had decided to entertain himself with the large TV located in the living area, but like Rufus, he had fallen into the same spell of endlessly flipping through channels. All these shows and there was really nothing that interested him.

The ex-SOLDIER's thoughts kept wandering back to the kiss he had shared with Rufus only an hour or so ago. He didn't particularly regret the action; it just seemed strange because it felt so…right. Cloud felt conflicted within himself, mostly because he still didn't trust Rufus Shinra in the least, but it seemed his libido didn't coincide with his thoughts. That kiss with Rufus had him stirring in places he had long thought dormant.

He sighed out loud at the reoccurring memory he couldn't seem to get rid of. Those lips, so soft and supple against his own. His luscious golden locks that had brushed ever so gently across his cheek. Cloud found himself licking his lips lightly at the recollection, a slight stir in his loins burgeoning.

The spiky haired blond shifted in his seat as flitting arousal rose up. He stilled his thumb on the remote and concentrated on willing his growing arousal away. It really _had_ been to long if was getting this turned on by the memory of an enemy's kiss. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, only to have his senses alerted by the sound of light footsteps coming down the hall. The patter of feet so soft that only mako enhanced ears could hear.

Slightly startled, Cloud looked over his shoulder to see the dark haired vision entering the kitchen. The man looked noticeably different than the way he had left. His long hair was down this time and he looked a bit tired. The Head Turk had returned to clean up the kitchen it seemed. He picked up his plate and stared at it momentarily before throwing the food away. Plates and glasses were placed into the dishwasher and the machine was turned on.

Cloud had watched the man as he cleaned up the kitchen. He couldn't deny the fact that Tseng perplexed him as well. Admittedly, he was attracted to the dark haired beauty, but his attraction for him seemed different than how he viewed Rufus Shinra. Lust was probably the most prominent feeling he had for the intrusive Turk, as much as he tried to deny it. But what bothered him the most was the fact that he didn't exactly lust for Rufus in the same way he did Tseng. Of course he found the other blonde appealing in every sense of the word, but he still harbored hatred for the one who had caused so much devastation. He hated Rufus Shinra, but what he couldn't comprehend was that if he hated him, then why did he kiss him? Why were these latent emotions welling up inside him for a man he couldn't stand?

He had been so lost in thought he could barely suppress the startled yelp that threatened to leave his lips when the Turk came up behind him. Luckily, he had managed to hold it in and drew in a deep breath instead. He tilted his head back to glace up at the smirking man above him. Cloud tried to look as if he hadn't been startled, but he'd never really been good at hiding his feelings from his face.

"You seem bored." The Turk said through an amused grin.

Cloud had found himself mesmerized by those coffee colored eyes and nodded dumbly. Tseng laughed lightly before he walked around from behind the sofa. He sat next to Cloud and crossed his legs. The blond felt heat rise up in his cheeks at the man's closeness. He grabbed the remote again and began flipping through channels, only to make him seem too preoccupied to start a conversation with the one next to him. But Tseng didn't speak, or bother him in anyway. He didn't even try to make small talk as Rufus had.

The ex-SOLDIER had finally settled on a cooking show of mild interest. Tseng had not spoken at all and Cloud was becoming curious. Every since he had stepped into the Healin Lodge, the Turk had been very talkative and somewhat bossy in Cloud's opinion. Now he was very quiet with no intent of striking a conversation. Out of curiosity, the spiky haired youth glanced over at the man sitting next to him. He was indeed surprised to see the Turk seemingly starting off into space with no particular object in focus; he certainly wasn't watching the cooking channel, Cloud mused.

Instead, he seemed to be deep in thought, his brow line furrowed down in worry. Cloud stared at him for a few brief moments before the dark haired man flicked his eyes over in his direction. The blond immediately turned away and pretended to be watching the TV program.

"I never took you for one to find cooking interesting." The Turk said, breaking his silence.

"I…It's not bad." Cloud responded. He didn't want to face the man, especially after he'd been caught staring.

"I see. Mr. Strife…"

"You can call me Cloud." The blond interjected. Tseng always spoke so formal with him it made him feel uncomfortable.

"Very well then, Cloud." He said. The blond held back shudders as his name rolled off the other's tongue. He definitely lusted after the Turk, Cloud thought. There was no denying the twinge of arousal that surged through him from that smooth voice.

"I just wanted to apologize for the inconvenience you've been forced to endure." He said sincerely. "I know this has been difficult."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders casually, and appeared unaffected, though he was actually quite surprised by the apology. Due to his earlier encounter with the man, he had taken him for being pushy and haughty, but he realized that the other had to be that way with him. He knew he could be quite stubborn and Tseng's forcefulness had most likely saved him from going out into the extreme weather and hurting himself.

"It's fine. The storm is bad and nothing can be done about that." He said honestly.

"I'm glad you're so understanding now." The Turk said, sounding truly surprised by Cloud's sudden change of thought.

"Yeah well…whatever." He said, dismissing the topic.

Silence ensued after that. Tseng recessed back to his own thoughts and Cloud returned to flipping through channels. How he wished he could be tired right now. After about an hour of mindlessly flipping through channels and watching a few segments of pointless nighttime TV, he'd had enough. He turned off the television and tossed the remote to the side with an annoyed sigh. He still wasn't tired but he'd sure as hell force himself to sleep or make an attempt to.

He didn't know where he would be sleeping so he turned to Tseng. Once again the Turk appeared to be thinking, his arms were crossed and his chin rested against his chest; long dark hair covered his face and which went unseen by Cloud. The blond scratched his head nervously. He needed Tseng to show him his sleeping chambers but he didn't know how to approach the distracted man who seemed so deep in thought he hadn't noticed the TV had been turned off.

He outstretched his hand out briefly to tap the other man before he drew his hand back apprehensively. Cloud wasn't sure how Tseng would react to his touch so he pulled back and decided that he should call out his name instead.

"Tseng." He called out softly, though the Turk didn't react. He called his name again, only to get the same results. The blond sighed, now he would have to tap him to get his attention. He raised his arm and slowly guided it closer to Tseng's shoulder. He gently tapped him and called out his name, immediately withdrawing his hand afterward. The Turk slowly raised his head and looked to Cloud. A faint smile graced his face, even though Cloud had just witnessed the subtle look of worry on his face.

"Yes Mr.…I'm sorry, Cloud?" he quickly corrected. He seemed so off and Cloud was curious to know why but he didn't want to pry.

"Could you show me where I'll be sleeping?" Cloud asked.

"Tired already?" he asked.

"No not really. Just bored."

Tseng's grin widened and a playful glint shone in his eyes. "Well I have a particularly good cure for boredom. Interested?"

The playful tone in Tseng's voice had Cloud more than interested. He nodded his head and watched as the Turk rose up from his seat. The man disappeared down the hall and left Cloud with an anxious feeling. What was the other planning? He waited several minutes before Tseng came back with a box in hand. The box was placed down on the glass coffee table before the long haired one sat down.

"Could you pass the remote please?" Tseng asked politely. Cloud nodded and handed the small black device to him. A look of curiosity had settled on the blonde's features as Tseng turned on the television. He quickly switched it to video mode before opening the box.

Cloud was admitted surprised when the man pulled out a pair of real looking guns. He tossed one to Cloud and he caught the object, which was very lightweight and made of plastic. He examined the fake weapon and looked to Tseng for direction. What the hell was he supposed to do with a fake gun? Play cops and robbers? What the hell was going on?

Tseng outwardly laughed at Cloud's befuddled expression. The blond looked completely lost as he held the fake weapon. The long haired Turk suddenly rose up from his seat and pressed a button on some sort of system that came to life on the screen. The image of a man and a woman dressed in guerilla warfare camouflage appeared on the TV. Then it clicked in Cloud's head after a few moments of staring in obvious confusion.

"A video game?" he questioned. Tseng snickered at other's comical expression. Cloud had never really played video games. His small town of Nibelheim didn't have an arcade and his mother couldn't afford to by a system.

"Took you long enough. You really are a blonde." Tseng teased, much to Cloud's dismay. He slight frown formed of his lips at the small, but irritating comment. If there was one thing that pissed Cloud off the most it was damn blonde jokes. He had had more than his fair share of stupid blonde jokes aimed at him throughout most of his life. Even Zack Fair, A SOLDIER friend of his in the past, made fun of him. It just took him a little longer than most to catch on to things, but it wasn't because he was blonde!

"Not funny." Cloud refuted, thoroughly upset. Tseng held his gun up at the screen and selected a two player mode. A split screen appeared along with character selection. Following Tseng's lead, he used his weapon to select a big blond guy, fully equipped with an extensive rifle.

Tseng snickered at Cloud's character choice. "Typical." He said in a joking manner, though Cloud too it a bit too seriously.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Nothing. I just figured you would pick him." He responded casually.

Cloud scowled under his breath, particularly offended by Tseng's words. Was he really that predictable? Regardless of if he was or not, he didn't like that way the other was messing with him.

He watched as Tseng went through the characters and tried to guess which one the other would pick, just as Tseng had done for him. He thought the Turk would have picked the small, but nimble male warrior with long blue hair; however, he selected a young girl dressed in a torn schoolgirl outfit with matching pigtails.

"Hentai." The blond murmured underneath his breath. Tseng smiled and reclined back into the sofa. The game started out with an eerie opening scene and then their characters appeared onscreen. Apparently the premises of the game was two war torn countries battling for control after extensive nuclear weapons had been used on each other. The land was a perpetual wasteland. It was a first person shooter game and Cloud held the gun tightly in hand. He'd held a real gun before as a mere infantryman before but he'd never really used it.

"You're on my team. Everybody else is an enemy." Tseng said.

The first wave of enemies came from out of nowhere and Cloud instantly started shooting. He had terrible aim and just shot around in the general area of where the enemies were. Tseng was actually quite good at the game. He had impeccable aim and only had to fire one or two shots before taking down his target. Cloud was on his fifth reload of sixty bullets about half an hour in the game, whist Tseng was on his second. They played the game for awhile, and Cloud was surprised at how fun it actually was, though he still thought it unusual that the Head of the Turks liked to play video games, albeit it was a shooter game.

"So…you play games often?" Cloud asked the man who seemed perfectly relaxed in his reclined position, his gun aimed high.

"Not really. Just something I do in my spare time which comes around every once in a blue moon. I guess in a way I'm grateful for the winter storm. With the meeting postponed I don't have to worry about getting everything prepared and ready just yet."

Cloud nodded his head. "So you do a lot of work for Rufus?" he questioned with a hint of remorse. It seemed to him that Tseng did more work than Rufus ever did. Hell, Rufus had been passed out on the sofa when he first arrived.

"I do work a lot but its fine. It's my job." He stated plainly. Cloud had just died again in the game and was waiting for Tseng to revive him.

"Yeah but…I think you might do too much for him. He's not worth it." Cloud said straightforwardly. Tseng had revived him in the game and they continued on their way to progress the storyline. Tseng hadn't spoken for awhile and Cloud was afraid he'd retreat back into his silence. He tossed a concerned glance in the other's direction and was relieved to see him alert and focused on the game, but the Turk's efficiency in the game showed him to be otherwise. He was missing shots horribly and couldn't seem to keep his weapon steady. It seemed strange for Cloud to witness the man who had been such a dead shot in the game, suddenly start missing.

"Um…are you alright?" he said to the other. Tseng nodded his head almost robotically, his eyes never leaving the screen though his aim never improved. In fact, he wasn't even aiming for anything now and he was shooting off-screen. Cloud searched for the pause button and raised a quizzical brow at Tseng who kept firing even after he had paused. Something was definitely wrong with the Turk, Cloud thought.

He reached out and stilled Tseng's shooting movements, his mako blue eyes scanned over the other concerned. Tseng brought his arms down and dropped the gun. His fingers then laced into his hair and tightened as he closed his eyes. His lips twitched as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. An almost pained expression contorted his lovely features.

Cloud didn't know what to do or how to react to Tseng's odd behavior. Was he hurting somewhere? Or was he just stressed out? The spiky haired blond wasn't particular good in situations that required him to comfort someone. He hoped Tseng was just tired and needed a good's nights rest.

"Why don't you turn in? I'll be fine by myself." Cloud said to the man assuredly. Tseng opened his eyes and lifted his head up to stare directly into the eyes of Cloud. The blond resisted the urge to draw back and break the man's gaze but he was quite captivated by the turmoil evident in the other's eyes. Cloud didn't know why but seeing the man slightly vulnerable and staring up at him like that made his cheeks flush.

Realizing his mistake, Tseng turned away from Cloud and quickly regained his composure. He cleared his throat and a faint smile graced his lips.

"I guess I'm a lot more tired than I'll admit to." He said lightheartedly. "Perhaps I will turn in early." He stood up and made to turn off the gaming system, but Cloud grabbed his wrist, halting him.

"I…I would like to keep playing…if you don't mind?" he said.

Tseng smiled. "Of course I don't mind. Please enjoy yourself."

Cloud nodded his head in thanks. He most certainly didn't want to be stuck watching boring TV all night and this game was actually fun.

"Oh, and one more thing Cloud." Tseng added. The blond looked attentively at him. "Could you please release my arm." He said with obvious amusement.

Embarrassed, Cloud quickly let go of the other's wrist. He hadn't even realized he'd been still holding him.

"Er…sorry." He mumbled out.

"It's quite alright. Have a good night Cloud. Don't stay up to late, this game can be pretty addicting."

Soon the long haired Turk was gone, leaving Cloud to enjoy his game. The blond played until the wee hours of the night, even when he was starting to feel drowsy, but he couldn't put the gun down. He was having fun, something he hadn't experienced in quite a good time. Tseng had most definitely been right about the addictive factor and Cloud wondered how many times the Turk leader had been caught up by the game. On a side thought, he ever wondered if Rufus had played this game. A faint smiled crept onto his lips at the thought of Rufus and Tseng playing a shooter game all night and having to get up for work the next day. It made for a comical view.

At around 4 am, Cloud was just about ready to crash. He turned off the system and the television with a wide yawn. Deciding that the couch was where he would sleep for tonight, he pulled his feet up and stretched out across the sofa, very much in the same position Rufus Shinra had been in earlier. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, and the sound of the heater blowing lulled him. He thought he felt soft hands brush his cheek but the gentle touch didn't last long, though the feel of those soft fingers against his skin would not fade away.

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**Domo Arigato for the reviews and interest! If there's a comment or question, drop a review or message. Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6: Cunning

**Thank you guys for the wonderful reviews :)

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**To Become a God**

Reeve Tuesti sat in his office of the WRO building. The workday had just started, though there wasn't much that could be accomplished due to the weather. Tseng had called the other night and canceled their scheduled meeting for this morning, which left the new President without a task. He had completed his work last night and since Rufus was not here, he could not move forward with anything. Reclining back into his chair, he thought about possibly taking his first day off in years.

Ever since the establishment of The World Regenesis Organization, Reeve had never taken a day off. There was always work to be done: projects and building he had to design, establishing funding for his projects and the organization, restoring peace and order in a chaotic world. But now, he had the opportunity to relax. The prospect of reading a good book and taking a nap afterwords appealed to him more than ever. With the decision made, Reeve shut off his series of computers and made to leave.

As he was opening the door, he was met with a vision of crimson and black. The person had their hand lifted up as if they were about to knock on the door. Reeve took a step back and smiled pleasantly at the sight of his friend.

"Vincent Valentine, how nice it is to see you this morning." He said fondly.

Vincent nodded his head in acknowledgment. Currently, Vincent had been staying in the living quarters at the WRO. He mostly assisted Reeve with whatever he asked, which usually consisted of him maintaining the peace within the City of Edge or wherever the President saw fit. It was good pay and good work in Vincent's view, though he sometimes found the job monotonous.

"Is there something you needed to see me about?" Reeve questioned.

"Is there anything you require of me?" the long haired man asked in his deep, smooth voice.

"No, nothing today. The meeting was canceled so I'm going to take a day off. You should too." He suggested to the other. Vincent shrugged his shoulders slightly before crossing his arms in his usual fashion.

"I suppose." Vincent responded.

Reeve smiled at the man in amusement. Vincent didn't sound too thrilled about doing nothing all day. The sharply dressed President laughed and nudged the taller man in the side playfully.

"Come on my friend; let's go have breakfast at my place." Reeve gestured for the other to follow. Vincent did so without protest and followed a few feet behind him. Over the years, Reeve had become very close to a select group of people. He considered Cloud a trustworthy friend, and even the members of the ex-terrorist group AVALANCHE, but Yuffie and Vincent were the two he considered his closest friends. They were always more than willing to help him with whatever the Organization needed and offered him advice when needed. Outside of work, they were the two he spent the most time with, aside from Cait Sith that is.

They arrived at the housing section and entered into Reeve's spacious living quarters. The design was simple and streamline, just like he preferred. His furniture was a deep blue, accented with white throw pillows. Most of the table surfaces were glass and the walls were decorated with contemporary artwork.

Vincent took a seat in the living area, and Reeve sat beside him. He picked up the phone and dialed for room service, which as the president he received whenever he requested.

"Yes, I'd like to order two breakfast meals." He spoke as he relaxed into the sofa. "I'd like the usual and Mr. Valentine would like…?" he glanced over at the caped man in question.

"…Doesn't matter. I'll eat whatever." He said.

Reeve nodded his head. "He'll have what I'm having then. Thank you."

He hung up the phone and turned his attentions to his friend. Vincent was normally quiet, so it was Reeve who always ended up starting their conversations.

"Have you talked to anyone recently?" the WRO president asked.

"Yuffie, the other day." He responded.

"Oh, did she say anything interesting?"

Yuffie was currently in her native land of Wutai leading the restoration project there. Vincent lifted his head and turned to face Reeve.

"Actually, she did."

Reeve was taken aback by his response. Yuffie rarely said anything of interest to Vincent. She mostly teased him when she talked to him, all in good humor though.

"She said that Tseng had called to set up a meeting with Lord Godo and herself."

"He did? Did he say why he was coming?" Reeve asked, interest piqued.

"He said he wanted to aid in the Restoration of Wutai." He said with almost unnoticeable doubt in his voice, but Reeve picked up on it as clear as day.

"You doubt his intentions?" Reeve knew that Vincent had always been suspicious of Turks, especially since he had once been one.

"I do. That's why I'll be traveling to Wutai to make sure his motives are genuine." He said.

"And if you find them to be false?"

"I'll see to it that he never steps foot in Wutai ever again." He said assuredly. Vincent was always true to his word and Reeve hoped for Tseng's sake that his intentions were good.

"When are you leaving?"

"A few days."

Reeve could understand Vincent's distrust. Tseng had never taken interest in Wutai before, and for him to suddenly want to help all of a sudden seemed rather suspicious.

"I don't want to sound racist, but is he even Wutaiian?" Reeve asked.

"He's not, not fully anyway. He's half Wutaiian and half Kalmenian. I pulled up some information in the database last night after I got off the phone with Yuffie. Though his file was limited, it clearly states he was born in Kalm to a wealthy weapons merchant. His only connection to Wutai is through his mother, who was a high priestess of Leviathan. Other than that, he has never lived in Wutai and has only been there for a few cases. So I find it very peculiar for a man who has never been concerned with Wutai before to suddenly claim he wants to help restore their culture and vitality."

"Indeed, it is very leery." Reeve pondered.

Just then, a swift knock on the door sounded. Reeve grabbed a remote that controlled the locks of the house and aimed it at the door. With the click of a button, he unlocked the door. The service workers entered with two silver platters and presented their breakfast to them.

"Just set it on the coffee table please." He ordered.

Their meals were placed on the glass table in front of them, along with glasses of fresh orange juice. With a polite bow, the servers left them to enjoy their meals. Reeve thoroughly enjoyed his blueberry pancakes and devoured them rather quickly. Vincent ate a slower pace, and finished his meal after Reeve did. Quite stuffed, the WRO President sighed contently and patted his belly.

"That was indeed splendid." He said satisfied. Vincent nodded his head in agreement.

"So, what's the agenda for tomorrow?" the crimson eyes man asked.

"Well if possible, the meeting with Shinra is tomorrow. Then we'll go from there."

"I see. That means Tseng will be here as well?" He asked in a quizzical tone.

"Definitely." Reeve assured.

"Good. I can analyze him before he heads off to Wutai."

"Very well then. But don't concern yourself with that now; just enjoy your day off." Reeve said, closing his eyes as he did.

Vincent grinned, though it went unseen due to his flaming red collar that hid his lips. He wasn't used to seeing Reeve so laid back and stress free. It was nice to see his friend getting a well deserve break, but Vincent wasn't one to sit down and relax. He stood up and headed toward the door. Reeve, having grown accustomed to Vincent's ways, waved goodbye to him without opening his eyes.

"See you later my friend." Reeve said.

"I'll see you at the meeting. Goodbye, Reeve."

.

.

Rufus Shinra had arrived with his entourage an hour late to their rescheduled meeting. Reeve watched as the ex-president of the world along with his select Turks file into the conference room. Reeve, along with two other of his established executives, had been seated over an hour ago. Vincent was there as well, though he stood the corner of the room leaning against a wall. His eyes immediately locked onto the Head Turk who came in after his boss.

Rufus took a seat at the end of the table. Tseng took a seat beside him, whislt Reno, Rude and Elena remained standing. Vincent, as well as the others in the room, noted Rufus' slightly altered appearance. His strawberry blond hair had grown considerable. It was still in its slicked back fashion but the stands of hair he kept loose in the front fell past his lip. He still wore a white suit; though instead of wearing a black turtleneck, he had chosen to don a dark blue one that brought out his eyes considerably.

The Turk seated next to him also had changed his look a bit. He wore his hair down and it looked remarkably shiny and sleek. Vincent had to admit the slightest urge to run his fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it looked, but he pushed that thought to the side and concentrated on the task at hand.

"Please forgive our tardiness." Rufus said smoothly, though he didn't sound apologetic at all.

"No worries." Reeve said with a smile. "Just glad you arrived safely."

"Thanks, but can we get started?" he said sounding annoyed.

"Yes of course. Everyone, these two on either side of me are my vice-President and General of the WRO Army. This is Vice president Somai, he's been a great help to me."

Vice President Somai was a nice looking middle age man with slight graying in his dark hair. Vincent didn't particular like the man. He was loud and could be quite rude, but he did have great ideas and knew how to get things done.

"And this is General Vaine. He's been a great leader to the Army and will protect the peace at all cost."

General Vaine was also in his late thirties, but he didn't appear so. He looked very young and had a youthful vitality about him. He had been a SOLDIER 2nd Class in the Shinra Army, and the mako treatments slowed down the appearance of aging considerably. Vaine didn't look a day over twenty with short pale blond hair and soft green eyes.

"Nice to see you again Mr. Shinra." General Vaine spoke.

Rufus raised a brow at the man that seemed to know him. He tossed a look over to Tseng and the dark haired man leaned over a whispered something into his ear that sparked recognition. With Vincent's enhanced hearing, he heard the Turk tell him that the man used to work for him.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, nice to see you too." The ex-President responded quickly.

"Well Mr. Shinra…" Reeve began.

"Call me Rufus, if you please." The blond said.

From the corner of the room, Vincent noticed the slight dilating of Tseng's eyes when Rufus had spoken his name. He kept his eyes locked onto the dark haired Turk, though inconspicuously so. He noted that when the Turk's eyes dilated, the pupil got smaller. A smaller pupil was a trigger of fear or caution. He would most definitely keep a close eye on them both now.

"Alright, Rufus, let's get started." Reeve said.

.

.

"No, No, NO!" Rufus Shinra yelled from across the table. "I will not use my money to fund a project like that!"

"You made a commitment and obligation to the world to change it, now here is your chance!" Reeve Tuesti yelled back.

"No fuck that! There are other ways to help people without using that much money for such a ridiculous reform as that!" the blond hissed out.

What started as a cordial meeting between leaders and organizations, ended up a disaster about an hour into the meeting. Vincent watched as both parties went back and forth in their conflict. The problem was over money, and how it should be spent. Because Rufus was the WRO's beneficiary, Reeve had to account for all major expenses to him and had to get Rufus to agree on what he was spending on. Usually, Rufus complied and there was little argument, but Reeve had just asked Rufus for the biggest amount he'd ever requested and the cause of it did not sit well with Rufus.

"Sir, please calm down." Tseng said lowly, trying to calm his leader.

Rufus sat back in his chair and drank a sip of his water. Tseng was whispering into his ear, and Rufus was starting to become noticeably calmer. His cheeks that had become reddened in anger, were now turning to their normal color. His brow line that was furrowed in rage, relaxed as he calmed. Vincent honed in on what the Turk had been whispering.

"_Rufus," the Turk began. "You mustn't lose your temper like this or nothing will get accomplished. If you don't like the suggested reform it's alright. We can revise it or throw it out all together. It's your money and you don't have to fund a project you don't like. So please, calm down Rufus, calm down."_

The Turk's voice had been so soothing it made Vincent less tense just hearing it. He watched as Tseng leaned away from a calmer Rufus and regained his seating posture. Rufus released a sigh and looked forward at Reeve across the room with calm eyes.

"Reeve, I know how much you care for the children of this planet, but I cannot and will not spend 50 billion Gil on an educational reform. I cannot in good conscience do that." Rufus said.

"But I don't understand why not. You've given me billions of dollars for building projects, job foundations and the Army, but when it concerns children you're against funding for them? Only 55% percent of children in the world attended elementary school, 45% attend middle school and only 34% ever reach high school. The only colleges are in expense cites like Kalm and Costa Del Sol and most cannot afford that. By holding back education, we're holding back progress and advancement."

Reeve had spoken with such passion that it surprised Rufus Shin-Ra. The blond sighed and closed his eyes in thought. It seemed as if he were actually considering changing his mind. He pinched the bridge of his nose and opened his eyes. It looked like he had come to a decision.

"Reeve, I will allow…" he had began, causing Reeve's lips to draw back into the beginnings of a smile, but then Tseng suddenly leaned over and spoke in Rufus' ear. The blonds' facial expression went from decisive, to indecisive again. Reeve shot Vincent a confused look but the dark brooding man hadn't been looking his direction. Instead, he'd been listening closely to what the Turk was saying and it was not good for Reeve. The Turk was talking him out of his decision.

Vincent didn't care much about politics but he did care for Reeve. The WRO president had a heart to help people and Vincent admired that very much. He cared about Reeve and wanted to see the man happy, so he had to do something to stop the charismatic Turk from changing Rufus' mind.

He moved from his spot and walked over to where they were. The ex-Turk tapped Tseng on the shoulder, effectively getting his attention. The long, silky haired man glanced up at him with confusion. In fact, everyone was confused by Vincent's actions.

"May I have a word with you?" he asked in a commanding tone.

Tseng looked at Rufus who nodded his head. "Go. See what he wants."

"Very well, Sir." The Turk stood and bowed politely.

"Please continue on without us." Vincent added as they left the room. He looked down at the man who stood before him with a slightly pissed off expression. Vincent smiled behind his high collar at the obviously frustrated Turk.

"Well, what is this about?" Tseng asked hurriedly, obviously wanting to go back to the meeting as soon as possible.

"Just follow me." Vincent said. He walked down the long corridor with Tseng trailing behind him. They walked for a few minutes until Vincent stopped in front of a door. He opened it and gestured for Tseng to enter. The Turk did so cautiously and Vincent followed in after him, or at least appeared so.

"Now what did you…" The Turk began, only to realize that he was the only one in the room. He rushed to the door and tried to open it but it was locked. Vincent leaned causally on the other side of the door with a grin on his face. The Turk on the inside banged hard on the door and kept trying to open it.

"Open this door, Valentine. I have no time for games!" he yelled furiously.

"Sorry, but I can't allow you to influence Rufus Shinra's decision making." He said evenly.

"What! How dare you! Let me out you vampiric son of a bitch!" he screamed.

"No need for name calling, Tseng." He must admit, he was enjoying teasing the infuriated Turk. "I'm gonna go and see how the meeting is going without your influences. Goodbye."

Vincent left the angry man locked in the room as he walked down the hall feeling good about Reeve's chances of getting funding with Tseng away. He walked at a leisurely pace, nodding politely at those who pasted him. Just as he was halfway down the hall, the faint sound of footsteps rapidly approaching rang in his ears. He didn't have much time to ponder as a great wind blew past him, that great wind being Tseng running at top speed.

"Shit!" Vincent swore as he bound after the quick man. How'd he get out? He thought as he enclosed in on him. Then it hit him, locked doors were minor obstacles to Turks. Tseng probably had broken out in a matter of seconds.

Vincent was faster than him, though the Turk did had good speed. The ex-Turk grabbed the man and wrapped his non-gauntlet arm around the Turk's narrow waist. Tseng struggled in his hold and kept trying to pull away. Vincent admitted the Turk was stronger than he looked, but he was still no match for him. He began to walk back away from the conference room with the flailing man in his arms.

"Release me! Now!" Tseng yelled. Vincent ignored him and walked back into the room he had put him in originally. He tossed him inside and shut them both in. Tseng scowled and suddenly pulled out a gun. He aimed it at Vincent and cocked it once.

"Let me out this instant, or I'll shoot your fucking brains out." He threatened.

"Tseng, we both know it's gonna take more than a little gun to…Holy Fuck!" the ex-Turk swore as the other cast Ice3 at him. It had been equipped to his gun. Vincent dodged the attack and charged Tseng before he could use it again. He grabbed the weapon and shoved the Turk to the ground. Tseng then reached into his pocket and pulled out a poison spell materia, Bio. He let him use it because he was immune to the effect. After he saw that wasn't working, he pulled out Lightning materia. Vincent had to act quickly because a spell like that could actually hurt him. He snatched the materia before he could activate it and held it up high, knowing he wouldn't be able to reach at his height.

"Tseng, please desist from..." He was interrupted by a swift kick in the privates. The ex-Turk winced and fell to the ground in pain. Tseng smirked and make to run but Vincent grabbed his ankle, causing him to fall. He held the other's leg firmly as the pain in his belly resided.

"That was a really dirty move." Vincent said to the other.

"Don't care." Tseng said as he struggled to free himself from Vincent's tight grasp.

The crimson clad man stood up and held Tseng upside down by his feet before dropping him. He hit the floor hard and grunted at the pain.

"I apologize for being so rough with you, but I really need you to calm down. The meeting will be over shortly and then you can return." Vincent said, hoping to smooth things over.

Tseng stood up and dusted off his suit. He then shot a glare at the immortal being across from him. The Turk knew he couldn't beat the other, and had to give up on the plan of escaping. Thoroughly pissed off, Tseng took a seat in a chair and glared at Vincent. The taller male was quite surprised when the other stopped trying to escape and sat down. Vincent had to admit, Tseng's glaring at him with his arms crossed and lips pouted in fury was actually kind of cute.

In fact, Tseng was quite attractive, Vincent noted. He had a delicate face and lovely dark hair that accentuated his unblemished pale skin. He reminded Vincent of a porcelain doll, especially now that he sat there unmoving. All he needed was a kimono and he'd be a life sized doll. He couldn't hold back the smile that formed at the thought and was glad his collar hid it from the brewing Turk.

No one spoke for about a half hour and Vincent was becoming irked by Tseng's unrelenting stare. Should he say something maybe to try and lessen the tension in the room? He'd give it a try.

"So how's…"

"Fuck you." Tseng said venomously.

With that, Vincent decided to shut up for the rest of the ordeal. Tseng's eyes never left his form and the ex-Turk was becoming uncomfortable underneath those fierce eyes that never seemed to lose their fire.

A phone rang and Tseng reached into his pocket and pulled the device out. With his eyes still on Vincent, he answered the phone.

"Tseng, speaking." He said evenly.

"I'll be right there, Sir." He said promptly before hanging up. The Turk stood up and walked over where Vincent was standing in front of the door. He looked up at him and raised an annoyed brow.

"Are you going to let me out now?" he snapped with attitude. Vincent snickered at the man he towered over.

"Sure." He said, stepping to the side.

Tseng exited quickly and Vincent found himself eying the man's backside as he left. Very nice, he thought with a lick of his lips. He followed behind him until they made it to the conference room. The first thing he noticed when he entered was the big smile on Reeve's face. With a lingering eye on the Head Turk, he made his way over to where the WRO president was. Reeve immediately gave him a hug.

"Thank you my friend, thank you!" he said joyfully.

"It's nothing, really." He said modestly.

Reeve shook his head. "As soon as Tseng left, I was able to convince him to fund the educational reform and the housing project! I'm so ecstatic! Tonight we celebrate!"

"Sure thing Reeve." He said, though his eyes regarded the long haired Turk chatting with his boss. Tseng then looked up and caught him staring. The head Turk locked eyes with him and held his gaze for a moment before an amused smirk formed on his lips. Vincent returned his grin with one of his own, and though it went unseen. He watched as Tseng exited the room with his boss and was surprised when the Turk stopped at the doorway and flipped him off with a cynical grin.

Vincent smirked and gestured goodbye with a flick of his wrist.

_I'll see you in Wutai, bitch._


	7. Chapter 7:Cynical

**To Become a God **

The ride back to Edge was arduous, even with the snow partially melted. The fenrir, though powerful in every aspect, had trouble gripping the icy ground. The cold air stung Cloud's face and exposed arms as he raced through the Plains from the Healen Lodge. His goggles kept the weather from affecting his vision as he traveled through the winter weather.

He had departed from the Lodge less than an hour ago after Rufus and his Turks left for an apparent meeting elsewhere. The spiky haired blond had to admit, he readily wanted to leave that place as soon as possible. The Turk named Tseng made him feel uncomfortable, with his staring and bossy tendencies. And Rufus Shinra…well, he made Cloud feel downright confused. He knew he didn't trust the man, but a part of him still craved a kiss from the other blond.

Rufus' kiss had been unexpected, but Cloud couldn't deny that he enjoyed it and he had even initiated it the second time. The memory of his silken rose petal like lips caused the spiky haired one to lick his own at the thought. Rufus Shinra had tasted divine, and if possible, expensive. Dear Gaia the man had tasted rich and prosperous, like fine wine or expensive silk.

As he neared his destination, he shook the thoughts from his head. He didn't see any point in musing over what was probably a fluke. He slowed his speed as he entered the city and headed for his home.

The Strife Delivery Service/bar soon came into view. He parked his motorbike in a shed behind the building and locked it up tight. It was around ten-thirty when he entered the place and found it empty, save for his old friend Tifa who was rummaging through some papers. She looked up once she heard him enter and a pleasant smile ensued.

"Oh Cloud, you're back!" she beamed. Tifa then placed down her papers and bounded over to where the blond was. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her embrace. Cloud stiffen in her hold, but didn't pull away either. She held him for what seemed like an eternity and Cloud coughed, signaling he wanted to be released. Tifa let him go reluctantly, he fingers still trailing across his arms as she pulled back, as if she didn't want to be apart from his touch.

Cloud nodded in acknowledgement of her and took a seat at the bar. She grabbed a glass and poured him some orange juice. He accepted it eagerly and downed half it within a second. The brunette woman crossed her arms and leaned over the bar in her usual manner.

"So, what happened?" she asked curious. "I mean, it's not every day one of us gets to stay with our past enemies."

"They still are our enemies." Cloud stated evenly, before taking a sip of his drink. "And nothing happened."

Her lips formed a pout and a look of displeasure crossed her features. "Cloud, you can't be serious right? Rufus Shinra is not our enemy anymore. He has no army, no company that harms the planet anymore and he's actually been trying to help restore the world in alliance with the WRO. And you still think he's our enemy? I think you need to stop living in the past and…"

Before she could finish, Cloud handed his empty glass to her and stood up to leave. He walked upstairs, leaving Tifa to ponder with a confused look on her face. It took everything in Cloud's power to not slam the door to his bedroom shut. He was absolutely outraged by everything she had said. First claiming that Shinra was to be trusted and that he was wrong in his accusations, and then, she had had the audacity to claim he was still running around in the past. The ex-SOLDIER knew that the events of the past were behind him and he had moved on, but he still couldn't just forget everything that had happened. It was because of the past that the world was in the state it was in now.

After locking the door, he stretched across his bed and wrapped his arms around his plush pillow. He pressed his face into it and exhaled. He was a bit tired from having stayed up most of the night playing video games, so he decided to take a nap. His eyelids felt heavy and he could feel himself easily slipping into the darkness. But just as he did, his phone started vibrating in his pocket. He swore out loud as he pulled out the vibrating hassle. He placed the object to his ear and answered.

"Cloud speaking." He mumbled, a wide yawn following.

"You sleep quite often, Mr. Strife." The voice on the other end said jokingly.

Cloud furrowed his brows at the familiar smooth voice and deep tone. "Tseng?" he questioned, more than responded.

"It is." The Turk leader confirmed. Cloud sat up with a yawn and blinked several times in an attempt to diffuse the drowsiness. It was odd for the Turk to call him. For one, Cloud had never given the Turk his phone number, and he wondered how he acquired it.

_Damn underhanded Turks. _He thought.

"What is it?" the blond asked with a little more bite than he intended.

"I need you to do me a favor." He said straightforwardly.

"Such as?" he asked, suspicious of the man.

"I need you to accompany Rufus Shinra as a temporary bodyguard in my absence. You'll of course be paid handsomely."

Cloud pulled the phone away to release an annoyed groan. It seemed no sooner than he had left them, they were asking him back. Though the money sounded appealing, the thought of having to be around Rufus and his Turks for a while did not sound too pleasing. He placed the phone back to his ear when it suddenly started vibrating again, signaling he had another call waiting. He glanced at the caller to see it was Vincent Valentine. It was rare for the man to call him and he thought he'd better answer it.

"I have another call waiting, so I'll call you back." He said hurriedly.

"Be sure you do, Cloud." The dark haired Turk responded.

Cloud ended the call and switched over to answer Vincent. "Hello." He said evenly.

"Good morning Cloud. I'm sorry to disturb you but…"

"No, you're not disturbing me." he interjected, wanting to put Vincent's mind at ease.

"Alright then, I have something I'd like to discuss with you. It's about Tseng." He spoke in a slightly worried tone.

"Well that's odd, he just called me with a job request to be a bodyguard for Rufus. I guess he's leaving or something."

"To Wutai, to be precise." Vincent added.

"How did you know that?" Cloud questioned.

"I spoke with Yuffie the other day and she told me that Tseng is going to Wutai to speak with her father about aiding in Wutai's restoration. It all sounds very suspicious to me. I wanted to get your take on it."

Cloud nodded his head, though the other could not see. As far as he knew, Tseng didn't give a shit about Wutai, so why now? He most definitely agreed with Vincent on this one. The Turk's actions were indeed very questionable.

"I think you're right, he's not to be trusted." Cloud commented.

"I plan to go to Wutai as well, to keep an eye on him." Vincent said.

"Good, but then…" the blond slapped his palm onto his forehead in annoyance. It Vincent did go, he would have to take up Tseng's request for the job. He really didn't want to, but he had little choice.

"Cloud?" Vincent said concerned.

"Oh um, never mind. I'll do as Tseng requests while you keep an eye on him in Wutai."

"Sounds good. I'll keep you posted."

"Good luck." He said before hanging up.

With a slight scowl, he called Tseng back by hitting the redial button. The Turk answered on the second ring, his melodious voice sounded in Cloud's ear.

"Yes, Cloud?" he answered as if expecting a response to his request immediately. The blond sighed and ran his fingers through his crisp spiky locks.

"I'll do it." He said with despair evident in his tone.

"Ah very good. Be at the WRO HQ tomorrow at eight-thirty am."

"I see," Cloud said. "If you don't mind me asking, where are you headed for, Tseng?" He all but hissed out the man's name.

A faint snicker came from the other before he answered. "Not at all, I'll be heading to Wutai. Though I'm sure you already know that, Cloud." He bit back with equal fire.

"How would I know?" the blond questioned, curious to know how the man knew.

"You needn't be suspicious of me Cloud. I have nothing to hide and I don't appreciate you and Mr. Valentine plotting behind my back."

Cloud didn't know how to respond. Tseng had somehow heard their conversation without either of them knowing it. He gritted his teeth at the man's blatant lack of privacy. On a side thought, he wondered if Vincent knew what had just taken place.

"Valentine can follow me if he likes, but he'd be wasting his time." The Turk said.

"We'll see." Cloud said apprehensively.

"Indeed. I'll see you tomorrow, Cloud." He said sharply before hanging up.

The blond tossed his phone to the other side of the bed and pressed his face into the pillow. Why must his life be so complicated? Shinra seemed hell-bent on making his life difficult.

He heard a swift knock on his door, followed by the concerned voice of Tifa. Cloud wasn't in the mood to talk to her at the moment and quickly fell asleep to avoid the hassle. He needed to be well rested for the upcoming task.

.

.

Cloud arrived at the WRO base located on the outskirts of Edge. The building had a modern design which the blond found aesthetically pleasing, truly a design of the great architect Reeve himself. The building had been recently finished and was a modest seven stories high with two additional wings built on. Wing A was a dormitory for those in the WRO Army and Wing B was the training/education center.

Once he had gotten through security, he parked his bike in the parking lot and entered through the glass doors of the main building. The place was already bustling at eight-thirty in the morning. People where whizzing around the halls, some with large cups of coffee in their hands, others with pastries. Cloud maneuvered through the crowd and down the long hallway that led to the elevators. He had been to the WRO before and had learned quickly that the most important people resided on the top floors. He got off the elevator on the fifth floor and walked up to a woman at the front desk. She was a pretty blond who greeted him with a genuine smile.

"Hello Cloud Strife, Mr. Tseng is expecting you."She rose up from her chair and motioned for him to follow her. The blond woman led him down the hall until she they reached a door that was labeled "Meeting room 2". She opened the door and ushered him, where he was met with the sight of Rufus and Tseng chatting idling at the end of the table. With a curt nod, the woman dismissed herself and closed the door after she left.

Rufus had seemed genuinely surprised by the sight of Cloud, and scanned the other blond as he entered before tossing a questioning glance at his Turk. Tseng smirked as Cloud entered the room with a slightly annoyed look on his face, one almost matching the one on his boss' face. The dark haired Turk stood up from the long cherry wood table and strolled over to spiky haired youth.

"What the hell is going on, Tseng?"Rufus snapped, running his fingers through his lengthy blond hair as he did so.

"Sir, I've asked Strife to be your temporary bodyguard in my absence." He said smoothly.

Rufus flicked his gaze over Cloud's form once more before his eyes locked onto the other's, shimmering sapphire stared into mako blue.

"I see." The ex-president mused. He held eye contact with Cloud momentarily and grinned at the ex-SOLDIER's discomfort.

Cloud broke the intense eye contact with the man and looked away, choosing to regard Tseng instead of the one that was sending chills down his spine.

"So how long do I have to do this for?" he asked the Turk, trying desperately to break the tension between him and Rufus.

"For a few days." He said vaguely, glancing at his clock and frowning. "I'm sorry but I must be going now if I want to make my ship."

The Turk bowed to his boss and nodded in regards to Cloud before he left, leaving them both alone in the room. The spiky haired blond sighed and drew up the courage to look at the man dressed in a sharp white suit, but when he did, the other had drawn his attentions elsewhere. He sat in his leather chair with his eyes half lidded and slightly downcast as if in thought. Crystal blue eyes stared down with no particular focus. He seemed completely out of it.

Cloud was perplexed by his behavior, and coughed rather loudly to get the man's attention. Rufus' eyes widened briefly before he glanced over at his new bodyguard, expression blank.

"My Turk's have been dispersed to their respective assignments, so you are the only one to protect and serve me." he said, almost robotically.

Cloud nodded his head in understanding, noting the odd tone of Rufus' voice. He sounded so cold…and seemed very distant. The spiky haired blond crossed his arms and leaned casually against the wall. He hoped Rufus wouldn't be too difficult to deal with. He had seen firsthand how much Tseng did on a daily basis for his boss with true dedication. He sure hoped Rufus wouldn't require him to perform dull household tasks as the Turk leader had done.

Rufus stood up from his seat, and headed for the exit. Cloud followed behind him at a secure distance like he'd seen the Turk's do. Throughout the day, the Rufus had performed menial tasks such as signing papers and telling the cooking crew what he wanted for lunch. Apparently there wasn't much for him to do, especially with his most trusted source away. Cloud noticed the affluent golden haired ex-president seemed a bit out of it. He was unusually quiet and somber, traits Cloud didn't know he even possessed.

Cloud wondered if maybe the other blond was suffering from separation anxiety, a comical thought, but not entirely without justification. Rufus had spent nearly every day with his Turks, especially Tseng, and now that they were all away, he could quite possibly be aching from not having them near.

Around three thirty, Rufus had finished up whatever he had needed done for the day and looked very tired. Cloud inwardly wondered why the other was tired at all. He hadn't really done any real work, but he looked as if he had been doing strenuous work all day long. They soon returned to Rufus' guest room and the young ex-president headed straight for his bedroom. Cloud didn't see the need to follow him and stayed in the living room. The space had numerous books on various bookshelves and table tops. He grabbed one that seemed interesting, "The Galveston murderer", it was titled.

The book was very good indeed and kept Cloud entertained for hours, well into the evening hour. As he reached the thirteenth chapter, the hired bodyguard thought he ought to take a break from his novel and check up on the other who had been asleep for the past few hours. He set the book to the side, and stood up, stretching his arms up and shaking his legs that had been inactive.

It was a quick walk to Rufus' room and he pushed the door open with ease, trying to be as quiet as possible. He was instantly alarmed once he spotted Rufus lying on the ground. He rushed to the fallen blond's side and pressed his fingers against his neck, trying to feel a pulse. A sigh of relief escaped his lips once he felt a strong steady pulse and soft breathing coming from Rufus. He had either been too tired to make it to the bed, or he had fallen out at some point. The sheets were tangled around him, so Cloud assuemed it had been the latter.

He smirked in amusement at the strawberry blond passed out on the floor, unaware he had fallen out. Cloud didn't think he should leave him on the ground, so he slipped his arms underneath Rufus' legs and waist, lifting him up from the carpeted floor. _So light, _Cloud thought as he held Rufus in his arms. The man felt almost weightless in his arms, though he knew it was mostly because of his mako induced strength.

With great care, he placed Rufus back into his bed. He fixed the other's blankets so that they weren't so tangled around him. Once the sleeping man was situated, Cloud glanced down at him and swept the long stands of blond hair back behind Rufus' ear. So soft, his hair felt, like strands of fresh linen. Cloud lightly brushed his fingers across the man's warm cheek, marveling at how smooth his skin felt. He found himself staring down Rufus, just relishing at how gorgeous he was.

Realizing his mistake, the blond youth withdrew his hand and stepped back away from Rufus' form. _What am I doing?_ He asked himself. He had to stop thinking about Rufus in that way and just do what he was being paid to do, be his protector. Also, he felt as if the man was plotting something with his Turk's and he couldn't become involved with someone who he didn't trust.

Quickly, he exited the room and closed the door. The sooner he left Rufus' presence, the more he could think straight. He had to admit, the young ex-president was starting to get to him and he couldn't deny the attraction he felt for the other blond. But he would try and not let his desire block his judgment.

Suddenly, he heard a yell come from Rufus' room.

"Tseng! Tseng!" the man within yelled, sounding a little more than upset.

Cloud sighed and turned back around to head to Rufus' room. He opened the door and the yelling stopped. Rufus had a confused look on his face when Cloud walked in, but then it resided as memory sunk in.

"Oh…" he said with a slight scowl. "I forgot you were here."

"What do you want?" Cloud retorted, slightly annoyed.

"I'm hungry for something specific." He said, reclining against the pillows stacked against the large dramatic headboard with a haughty look on his face.

Cloud sighed and crossed his arms. Now _**this**_ was the Rufus he knew. The bossy, arrogant, and proud ex-leader of The Shin-Ra power electric company who expected his every command to be obeyed without question. The spiky haired ex-SOLDIER regarded Rufus with an irritated look, though the other ignored it and continued to make demands.

"I want seafood, preferably fish on a bed of rice." He said casually as he grabbed the remote control next to him to turn on the TV. Cloud was at a loss for words. Wasn't it just the other night that Rufus had complained that he was tired of eating fish and rice? And how was he supposed to acquire this food because he sure wasn't going to cook it himself.

"Did you want me to order room service for…"

"If I wanted room service, I would have ordered myself." He snapped at the other blond. "Can't you cook?"

Cloud was taken aback by Rufus' insistent behavior. He was only hired to protect him from danger, as far as he was concerned, anything outside out that description was extra.

"Rufus, I'm not cooking you anything." He said straightforwardly. The haughty blond made a sound of distaste with his teeth and scowled.

"You're joking right? You must be."

"I'm not joking. I refuse to make you anything when there is probably a fully functionally kitchen staff at your beck and call." He said firmly.

"So what. I want a home cooked meal. Now go make it before I get really pissed off." He ordered sharply.

Now it was Cloud's turn to get upset. "Rufus, I don't know what you think I'm here for but it's certainly not to be your slave. If you would like fish I would be more than happy to order you some, but I will not make you anything. I'm not Tseng, and I will not let you boss me around like you do him."

Rufus didn't respond immediately, instead, he slipped out of the covers and walked over to his closet. He walked into the spacious area and closed the sliding doors. Cloud scratched his head in confusion as he heard the blond fumbling within. He thought about tapping on the door to ask if he was okay, but he decided against it.

Soon Rufus came out dressed in white slacks and a soft blue dress shirt. He brushed his hair but kept it down instead of combing it to the back as usual. He slipped his feet into a pair of designer oxfords with a faint print. After he was dressed, he turned on his heels and regarded Cloud with a slight grin on his lips.

"Well, since you're not going to cook, let's go out then." Rufus said slyly.

"To…the cafeteria?' he questioned dumbly.

Rufus smirked in amusement as he approached the other blond. He pressed his fingers lightly against the material of Cloud's dark, sleeveless sweater. They were virtually about the same height so he could look right into the spiky haired one's gleaming mako blue eyes.

"I want you to take me out to a bar. I haven't been out in so long."

"Ah…okay?" Cloud stumbled, still suffering from the whiplash of Rufus' rapidly changing behavior and mood.

"Well let's get going. Oh and by the way, we're taking your motorbike." The devious sharply dressed man added.

Cloud reluctantly nodded and headed for the exit. He felt as if Rufus had tricked him somehow and the whole fuss over the cooking was just a ruse to get Cloud to rebel, thus giving him an excuse to go out. The young world hero shook his head in disbelief as he made his way out. Tonight was not a good night to go out drinking, especially since he had everything working against him. The roads were bad, he didn't even own a helmet, he had to go out with his enemy he was secretly attracted to, he didn't know what Rufus was like when drunk, he had to somehow keep Rufus safe in a seedy Edge bar and somehow manage to get them both back safely in one piece.

No, tonight was not a good night, but Rufus seemed set on going and there was no turning back. Cloud knew that tonight was set up for disaster, so he would just have to try his hardest to not get drunk and watch Rufus very carefully. With those objectives in mind, he felt a little better about his situation as he exited the main building and headed over to where his bike was parked in the lot.

How bad could a night out with Rufus Shinra be?

* * *

**Hope you guys are enjoying my story so far. I know it seems a little slow paced, but I planned for it to be quite extensive. Thanks for all the splendid reviews and comments.**


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